Diamondbacks’ Jake Lamb keeps racking up the RBIs

PHILADELPHIA – Jake Lamb shot a single through the middle in the third inning on Saturday, driving in Daniel Descalso and padding his league-leading RBI total. He has 59, four more than anyone else in the majors.

At this pace, Lamb will drive in 139 runs, and while there’s still nearly 3 1/2 months of baseball left to be played, that would put him within shouting distance of the club record of 142 RBIs, shared by Luis Gonzalez (2001) and Matt Williams (1999).

“The biggest thing for me is that when I don’t get it done, I don’t panic and I trust that our lineup is so good, the guys in front of me are so good, that I’m going to get another shot,” Lamb said. “I’m coming through a bunch, but it’s the times I don’t come through that is helping me the most and I’m realizing that I might get two more shots this game to come through.”

Lamb entered Saturday tied for eighth in the majors for the most at-bats with runners in scoring position. With his hit on Saturday, he raised his average to .319 (22 for 69) in those situations.

Barring an injury, he seems to be in good shape to reach the 100-RBI mark, a milestone type number for a lot of players. It would be his first time getting there after finishing last season with 91. Would it mean something to eclipse 100?

“Yeah, but I don’t think about it,” Lamb said. “But, once again, it just means that I’m coming through for my team. It’s obviously one of those goals that you think about, but I just try to execute during the game and if it happens, it happens.”

Despite the RBI total , he actually hasn’t been the best hitter on his team in those situations. That would be Paul Goldschmidt, who is hitting a league-leading .413 with runners in scoring position.

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Good send?

Lamb was cut down at the plate to end the sixth inning, thrown out trying to score from third on a medium-depth fly ball to Phillies left fielder Aaron Altherr, who made a strong throw home.

“I’m not the fastest guy in the world, but I thought he had to make a perfect throw just (based) on where he was,” Lamb said. “He made a heck of a throw. That’s going to happen over the course of the season. I would rather do that than sit there at third base and think, ‘What if?’”

The decision to try to score seemed like an easy one for the Diamondbacks. They had runners on second and third and the fly out was the second out of the inning. With Rey Fuentes due up next and pitcher Zack Godley after him, it seemed likely the Phillies would have intentionally walked Fuentes.

Somewhat surprisingly, however, manager Torey Lovullo said after the game he would have pinch-hit for Godley – who at that point had thrown five shutout innings – had the Phillies put him in that situation.

Still, he said, he liked his team’s aggressiveness on the bases in that situation.

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Draft signings

Like most clubs’ top draft picks these days, the Diamondbacks’ top few selections in the draft are not expected to take long to sign.

Virginia first baseman Pavin Smith, the Diamondbacks’ top pick at No. 7 overall, and their third selection, UW-Milwaukee catcher Daulton Varsho, who was taken at No. 68, could be signed soon, a source said.

As for third baseman Drew Ellis, who was selected in the second round at No. 44, the Diamondbacks will have to wait until after Louisville finishes its season. Louisville faces Texas A&M in its College World Series opener on Sunday.

With draft selections closely tied with a team’s available bonus money, most clubs come to tacit agreements with players in the moments before drafting them.

Sunday’s game

Diamondbacks at Phillies

When: 10:35 a.m.

Where: Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia.

Pitchers: Diamondbacks LHP Robbie Ray (7-3, 2.62) vs. Phillies RHP Ben Lively (1-1, 3.00).

TV/Radio: FSAZ/KMVP-FM (98.7), KHOV-FM (105.1).

Ray is in the midst of a remarkable run of dominance. He has given up just one run in his past five starts, a stretch of 37 innings in which he has nine walks and 48 strikeouts. … The one run came on a solo homer by Padres RF Hunter Renfroe. … Ray’s scoreless innings streak of 27 2/3 innings from May 14-June 6 is the longest in the majors this season. … Ray has held opponents to a .134 average on the road this season, posting a 0.64 ERA in six starts. … Lively has lasted seven innings in each of his first three starts, giving up seven earned runs in 21 innings. … Lively, 25, throws a fastball that averages 91-92 mph along with a curveball, slider and change-up. … He entered the season as the Phillies’ 18th-ranked prospect according to Baseball America.

Coming up

Monday: Off.

Tuesday: At Colorado, 5:40 p.m., Diamondbacks RHP Zack Greinke (8-3, 3.00) vs. Rockies RHP German Marquez (5-3, 4.19).

Wednesday: At Colorado, 5:40 p.m., Diamondbacks RHP Taijuan Walker (5-3, 3.32) vs. Rockies RHP Jeff Hoffman (4-0, 2.25).

Thursday: At Colorado, 5:40 p.m., Diamondbacks LHP Patrick Corbin (6-6, 5.19) vs. Rockies RHP Antonio Senzatela (9-2, 4.10).