Diamondbacks Turn the Page, Move on to Face Reds
By Kody Acevedo
Aug 17, 2015; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Chris Owings (16) makes a bare-handed attempt on a ground ball against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the seventh inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
Coming off a 4-2 home stand, the Arizona Diamondbacks (58-61) seemed to be finding a groove, getting back to a .500 record and putting up monster numbers offensively.
Since then, they have gone 2-4 on their current road trip and have dropped back to three games under .500.
It seems like they always get right there, right at the verge of a winning record, but they can never break that invisible ceiling that’s holding them down.
The D-backs managed to drop two-of-three against a struggling Atlanta Braves team and then went on the Pittsburgh to face the mighty Pirates.
They managed to put together a 4-1 victory Monday, but fell in the final two games of the series as the Pirates continue to push toward the Post Season.
But there is a light at the end of this long, dark tunnel: The Cincinnati Reds. The D-backs head out to the Great American Ballpark and face the Reds in a four-game series beginning Thursday.
You may recall that two weekends ago, the D-backs took two-of-three from the Reds at Chase Field on August 7-9.
The Reds are a complete mess this year as they struggle to breathe in a division that is led by three of the best teams in baseball, the St. Louis Cardinals, the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Chicago Cubs.
The Cardinals lead that division with a major league best 77-43 record. The Pirates sit in second place having broken the 70-win mark with a 71-47 record.
The Cubs aren’t far behind either, sitting in third place at 67-50.
If the season were to end today, all three teams, the Cardinals, the Pirates and the Cubs would be in the playoffs as Pittsburgh and Chicago hold the first and second Wild Card spots.
That would mean three teams from the NL Central would be in the Post Season. This division, arguably, is the best in all of baseball and the Reds have their work cut out for them if they want to compete in the years to come.
Oh and by the way, if the D-backs were in the American League, they would be just four games out of a Wild Card spot.
Instead, they remain 10 games out with just 43 games remaining.
Let’s take a look at the pitching match ups for the upcoming series: