Diamondbacks pound Rockies again to win road series

Paul Goldschmidt and Chris Owings hit three-run homers, Zack Godley threw well into the eighth inning, and the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the Colorado Rockies 10-3 on Thursday.

Goldschmidt finished with three hits and four RBIs to increase his season total to 64, tops in the majors.

Arizona took two of three in the NL West matchup and is now tied with Colorado for second place in the division behind the Dodgers. The Diamondbacks have won 12 of 14 and are a season-high 19 games above .500.

Godley gave up a home run to Charlie Blackmon to lead off the first inning, but shut down the Rockies from there.

Blackmon drew a walk in the third, then Godley erased him with a double-play ball to end the inning. He didn’t allow a hit after Nolan Arenado’s one-out single in the first and retired 19 of the next 20 batters before Raimel Tapia and Pat Valaika singled and doubled to lead off the eighth.

Godley (3-1) allowed three runs on four hits and struck out eight in seven-plus innings. He also helped himself with an RBI single in the eighth.

The Diamondbacks hit a Colorado rookie pitcher hard for the second straight night. Wednesday they scored 10 runs in the fourth off Jeff Hoffman, and Thursday they battered right-hander Antonio Senzatela (9-3) for nine runs in five innings.

Owings’ homer in the third, his ninth, made it 5-1, and Goldschmidt hit his 18th to cap a four-run fourth to make it 9-1.

– Associated Press

Godley departs after another strong outing

Right-hander Zack Godley pitched into the eighth inning for the first time this season, in the Diamondbacks’ 10-3 win over the Rockies Thursday at Coors Field.

Godley had retired 19 of 20 batters before giving up back-to-back hits to open the eighth. He was lifted from the game at that point, with a runner on second base, and lefty Andrew Chafin allowed the runner to score, closing the book on Godley’s day.

His final line: Seven-plus innings, four hits, three runs, three earned runs, one walk, eight strikeouts.

The eight strikeouts matched his career-high, which he established five days ago in Philadelphia.

Owings, Goldschmidt pad D-Backs’ lead

Chris Owings hit a three-run homer to cap a four-run third inning as the Diamondbacks took a 5-1 lead at Coors Field on Thursday afternoon.

In the fourth, Paul Goldschmidt launched an opposite-field three-run homer to put Arizona ahead 9-1.

Owings’ blast followed an RBI single by Goldschmidt that gave the Diamondbacks their first lead of the day.

The Rockies scored first, getting a leadoff homer from Charlie Blackmon in the bottom of the first inning, but Diamondbacks right-hander Zack Godley has retired eight of 10 batters since.

Peralta hitting lefties hard

David Peralta has had five at-bats against left-handed pitchers on this road trip and has collected hits in four of them, three of which went for extra-bases. That’s an impressive run of success for a left-handed hitter who has long struggled against same-side pitching.

“He’s staying on pitches,” Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said. “I think it’s just a big process for him. Coming off the injury last year, he needs a little bit of time to figure out his swing plane, his balance, and it’s coming together for him.”

With the recent results, Peralta’s season numbers against lefties are suddenly eye-popping: 13 for 40 (.325) with two doubles, a triple and two home runs. Lovullo was asked if that could lead to more starts for Peralta against lefties.

“I’m not afraid to start him in any situation,” Lovullo said. “I’ve been on the record in saying that with guys who need time off and days down I’m going to pick and choose the best matchups and obviously it was coming against lefties. That doesn’t mean that in my mind he can’t continue to grow and learn and figure out how to hit lefties as good as he possibly can. …

“I feel like he’s going to be fine against lefties and righties, I just want to be sure he gets those days off. We’ll figure out when those are best suited for them.”

That might be true, but Lovullo has been actively steering Peralta away from lefties for most of the season, particularly recently. It’s been nearly two months since the last time Peralta was in the starting lineup against a left-handed starter.

Of course, there was good reason for the Diamondbacks to not start Peralta against lefties. He entered the year as a .222 hitter against lefties in 194 career at-bats.

Thursday’s game

When: 12:10 p.m.

Where: Coors Field, Denver.

Pitchers: Diamondbacks RHP Zack Godley (2-1, 2.34) vs. Rockies RHP Antonio Senzatela (9-2, 4.10).

TV/Radio: FSAZ/KTAR-AM (620), KHOV-FM (105.1).

Godley is getting the start in place of LHP Patrick Corbin as the Diamondbacks are lining up one of their better starters against a tough Rockies lineup. … Godley allowed just one run in 5 2/3 innings against the Phillies on Saturday, walking three and striking out a career-high eight. … Opposing hitters are hitting .088 off Godley’s curveball this year. … Senzatela has been one of the bright spots in the Rockies’ rotation, a rookie who jumped from Double-A last year to be one of their more dependable starters. That said, he hasn’t been as effective in recent starts, logging a 6.75 ERA in his past four outings… He averages 94.9 mph with his fastball and also throws a slider and a change-up. … He has yet to face the Diamondbacks in his career..

Thursday’s lineup

D-Backs turning things around on the road

The last time the Diamondbacks had ventured out onto the road, they returned home after three consecutive losses, including a game in which they were victims of a no-hitter. At that point, they had completed more than a third of their road schedule, and they were not a good team – not a good hitting team, specifically – away from Chase Field.

Just one trip later and those are becoming outdated notions. After destroying the Colorado Rockies 16-4 on Wednesday night, the Diamondbacks improved to 6-1 on this three-city jaunt. They are hitting .320 on this trip through Detroit, Philadelphia and Denver. They are no longer a team that feasts at home and is feasted upon on the road.

The last time the Diamondbacks had ventured out onto the road, they returned home after three consecutive losses, including a game in which they were victims of a no-hitter. At that point, they had completed more than a third of their road schedule, and they were not a good team – not a good hitting team, specifically – away from Chase Field.

Just one trip later and those are becoming outdated notions. After destroying the Colorado Rockies 16-4 on Wednesday night, the Diamondbacks improved to 6-1 on this three-city jaunt. They are hitting .320 on this trip through Detroit, Philadelphia and Denver. They are no longer a team that feasts at home and is feasted upon on the road.

READ MORE: How the Diamondbacks have found success on the road

Coming up

Friday: At Chase Field, 6:40 p.m., Diamondbacks LHP Patrick Corbin (6-6, 5.19) vs. Phillies TBA.

Saturday: At Chase Field, 7:10 p.m., Diamondbacks LHP Robbie Ray (7-3, 2.87) vs. Phillies RHP Ben Lively (1-1, 3.33).

Sunday: At Chase Field, 1:10 p.m., Diamondbacks RHP Zack Greinke (8-4, 3.14) vs. Phillies RHP Jeremy Hellickson (5-5, 4.61).