Diamondbacks Gain Momentum, Sweep Reds
By Kyle Jacobs
Aug 17, 2015; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks third baseman Jake Lamb (L) crosses home plate after hitting a solo home run as second baseman Chris Owings (16) greets him against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the fourth inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
A great four game sweep by the Diamondbacks has put them over .500 (62-61). Putting Arizona only five games back of the Dodgers for first place in the National League West Division.
The Dodgers and Giants have both hit a rough patch in terms of their results which has allowed the Diamondbacks to gain some ground in the division. Very few are considering Arizona as a serious contender to win the division mostly due to the lack of established stars on their roster, aside from Goldschmidt.
Despite not having the flashy names, the offense has allowed this team to catapault itself into contention for the moment. The next series for Arizona will be another four game series back home against the best team in baseball, the St. Louis Cardinals.
The focal point of this series will be the excellent St. Louis pitching versus the Diamondbacks hot offense and which side will prevail in this matchup. If the D-Backs are able to manage a split or somehow manage a series win against the Cardinals, that could prove their legitimacy in the division race.