Diamondbacks’ Pollock Misses Record by One Hit

Aug 8, 2015; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks center fielder A.J. Pollock (11) swings the bat against the Cincinnati Reds at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

A.J. Pollock continues to dazzle us all at the plate.

He was pretty much the star of Friday night’s 6-3 win over the Cincinnati Reds as he went 4-for-5 and came just a triple shy of hitting for the cycle.

In addition to that, Pollock was a hit away from tying the D-backs’ team record of seven consecutive hits.

He stepped up to the plate in the 6th inning, already having smacked three hits in the game, and scorched a screaming line drive to Reds’ third baseman Todd Frazier.

Frazier responded quickly and made a leaping grab to rob Pollock of his seventh consecutive hit.

It was a terrific defensive play to keep the D-backs’ hottest hitter out of the record book. But it didn’t seem to matter to D-backs’ Center Fielder as he managed to pick up a hit in every other at-bat of the night.

To begin Friday night’s game, Pollock homered in the first inning, his 13th of the season. He then hit a single in the 3rd inning and doubled in the 4th before picking up one final base hit in the 9th.

Pollock was unable to finish the cycle, but still has put up great numbers at the plate recently.

In the first two games combined, he has picked up eight total hits.

In the last two weeks, Pollock has a slash line of  .410/.463/.689 with two homers, seven RBIs and eight stolen bases.

He’s improved his seasonal average to .321 with 13 home runs and 54 RBIs.

Pollock leads the D-backs in hits (147), doubles (30), stolen bases (32) and runs (86). He also has the second-highest batting average behind Paul Goldschmidt, who is hitting .426 this season, tied for second in the D-backs’ home run category with Welington Castillo, and has the third-highest RBI total on the team.

There’s no doubt he’s making a strong case for a new contract extension during the off season. We reported last week that Pollock was hoping for a long-term deal with the club and with these type of numbers, it’s hard for the D-backs’ front office to say no to that.

It was said in reports last week that the D-backs would more likely give Pollock a four-year deal to avoid free agency. Pollock is eligible to be a free agent at the end of the 2018 season.

He was drafted in the first round of the 2009 draft by the D-backs as the 17th overall pick. He played college ball at Notre Dame and made his big league debut on April 18, 2012 for the D-backs.

Pollock has improved to a career .296 hitter with 30 homers and 124 RBIs.