SAN DIEGO -- If teams are going to employ defensive shifts against Arizona left-handed hitters David Peralta and Jake Lamb, then the D-backs are going to try to take advantage of the big hole that leaves on the left side of the infield.
Peralta had a double Thursday night on what would have been a routine grounder to the third baseman and then Friday night he hit a grounder to the left side for a single.
Peralta tried bunting in his first at-bat of the game, but the ball went foul and he eventually hit a hard shot into the shift for an out.
"It's something you can't get out of your mind when you see the big hole between third base and shortstop," Peralta said.
Lamb scored what proved to be the game-winning run Friday night after reaching base when he dribbled a ball toward shortstop. While he wasn't trying to necessarily hit the ball that way in that at-bat, it's something he's practiced.
"You've seen them both try to bunt this season, and I think David is eventually going to get it down," D-backs manager Chip Hale said. "Jake has gotten better and better as Spring Training went along so maybe he'll get one down and they won't shift as much."