D-backs bats come to life by Bay to halt skid

OAKLAND -- There's no question the last two weeks have taken their toll on the D-backs.
Night after night they showed up at the ballpark only to struggle to score runs. Of the previous 14 games, 13 resulted in losses, including seven straight.
So, as they kept scoring runs on Friday night, you could almost feel the pressure lift off their collective shoulders long before the final out was recorded in their 7-1 win over the A's at Oakland Coliseum.
It was just the second time this month that the D-backs scored more than four runs in a game and it started early with Nick Ahmed's solo shot in the first off Sean Manaea (5-5).
"It gives you that chatter amongst the team," third baseman Jake Lamb said of the early run. "You kind of start to get that dugout chatter. It's tough to get that when you're not scoring runs."
The D-backs added two more in the third and then three more in fourth.
"We've been playing from behind a lot lately and putting pressure on our pitchers to go out and keep them to one, two, three runs every game and try to win," Ahmed said. "Especially to put them up early is really nice. You're going to go through tough stretches, whether it's in May or at the end of the year."
Regardless of how good the win felt, there was the knowledge amongst the players that it was only one game.
"We have to come out and do it again tomorrow," said first baseman Paul Goldschmidt, who had a pair of hits and two RBIs. "It doesn't mean anything more than just having a good night. They're going to come out ready to go and we will too. It's about being consistent every day for the rest of the year. You're going to go through some ups and downs. It was one good day and now we have to try and put two in a row together and then three, four and so on."
The runs were more than enough support for left-hander Patrick Corbin (5-1), who allowed just one run and four hits over seven innings.

"Just to come away with a win and get us back on track, it's great to see the offense tonight," said Corbin, who won for the first time since April 22. "We know what these guys can do, and that's what they can do. That was really fun to see. I think sometimes they put a little too much pressure on themselves the way things have been going. We know how good they are. We can break out like this every day. To see that long a stretch [of struggle] is not very common with this team. These guys work hard every day to get it back."
On Friday, they got it.
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Goldschmidt good: Goldschmidt, who has been mired in an almost season-long slump, helped break the game open with a two-run triple in the fourth. Goldschmidt likely would have just had a single on the play, but left fielder Chad Pinder tried to make a diving grab and the ball got past him and rolled to the wall. Still, the fact that Goldschmidt got that hit, as well as a double in the ninth, was encouraging considering he came into the game hitting .200.

"It's good, I'll take those," Goldschmidt said. "But I got out a couple of times too, but that's just part of the game and you just try to keep learning and getting better."
MARTE OK
Second baseman Ketel Marte was removed from the game after sliding head first into third base with a triple in the ninth. D-backs manager Torey Lovullo said that Marte's right hand rolled up underneath him on the slide and the tag made contact with his head. He was examined postgame and Lovullo said Marte checked out fine and would be in the lineup Saturday.

HE SAID IT
"We were just able to add on those middle innings off their starter and that's what we need to do. We've had hits here and there, but not really consistent. Tonight, to put up double-digit hits and seven runs was good. Tonight we gave ourselves a chance in a bunch of innings." -- Goldschmidt, on the offensive output

UP NEXT
Clay Buchholz will make his second start of the year for the D-backs on Saturday afternoon at 1:05 p.m. MST against Daniel Mengden of the A's as the two teams continue their series at Oakland Coliseum. The right-hander was signed to a Minor League deal earlier this month after exercising an opt out in his deal with the Royals. In his first start for the D-backs last Sunday, he allowed one run on two hits over five innings. He is taking the place of the injured Robbie Ray in the Arizona rotation.