Arizona Diamondbacks defeat Texas, reach .500 for first time since April 24

Take a deep breath, fans. The torment is finally over.

After trying and failing in 12 previous attempts, it turns out that 13 is a lucky number after all, as the Arizona Diamondbacks snap a 12-game losing streak in their efforts to reach .500 this season.

The last time the D-backs claimed a .500 overall record was on April 24; a day in which the D-backs fell to 8-8 following a 4-1 loss to Pittsburgh at Chase Field.

Thanks in large part to an explosive second inning that featured RBI singles from Cliff Pennington and Jake Lamb before A.J. Pollock belted a three-run home run to left, the D-backs mounted an early 5-0 lead that would provide sufficient cushion as the Rangers made a gradual attempt at engineering a comeback.

In fact, Texas’ efforts were nearly rewarded, as D-backs starting pitcher Jeremy Hellickson struggled through a tumultuous fourth inning in which the Rangers loaded the bases with Hellickson laboring due to the formation of a thumb blister. Hellickson would ultimately escape the inning without ceding a run, but would leave the game prior to the start of the fifth inning, giving way to D-back reliever Andrew Chafin.

Hellickson would finish allowing six hits and two earned runs, walking two and striking out four.

In the fifth, the D-backs would extend their lead back out to five after catcher Welington Castillo blasted his seventh home run of the season, a two-run shot to right, giving Arizona a 7-2 lead.

The Rangers would add a run in the home half of the fifth and sixth, respectively, to cut the D-backs’ lead to 7-4, but that would be as close as the Rangers would get. D-backs closer Brad Ziegler would come on in the ninth to slam the door, earning his 14th save of the season, handing the D-backs’ arguably their most satisfying win of the year.

NOTABLES

Ziegler’s 14th save of the season marks a career-high for the 35-year-old righty.

Ziegler also extended his scoreless inning streak to 13.0 in his one inning of work.

Pollock is hitting .394 (13-of-33) with two doubles, two home runs and seven RBI in his last seven games. The 27-year-old All-Star went 2-for-4 with a home run and three RBI in Wednesday night’s win at Texas.

The D-backs’ streak of consecutive games with 10 hits or more ends at eight, after Arizona managed nine hits versus the Rangers. It was the second-longest such streak in franchise history.