PHOENIX—Christian Walker hit two home runs, Joc Pederson added a late grand slam, and the Arizona Diamondbacks coasted past the Los Angeles Angels 11–1 on Thursday night.
Arizona took two of three games in the series and has won eight of its past 12 games overall.
Walker got the D-backs’ offense started in the first inning with a three-run blast on a full-count pitch. The first baseman turned on an inside fastball from Griffin Canning and hit a high-arching shot deep into the left-field seats for his 14th homer of the season.
“Felt really good to come through for the team early,” Walker said. “You get a chance with a couple guys on, to be able to make that count in the first, that’s good.”
His 15th long ball came just two innings later when another powerful swing sent Canning’s hanging slider 464 feet and over the wall in left-center field to give Arizona a 4–0 lead.
Walker is on pace for his third straight 30-homer season and has won a Gold Glove each of the past two seasons. He’s never been an all-star, but there’s little doubt about his importance in the middle of the D-backs’ lineup.
It was his second two-homer game of the season and the 11th of his career.
“It’s just a pure swing,” D-backs Manager Torey Lovullo said. “If I was going to teach someone a swing, I'd tell them to watch Christian Walker. It’s just a really nice, simple approach. There’s a high level of intensity. There’s a high level of intelligence on every at-bat.”
Arizona right-hander Brandon Pfaadt (3–5) gave up one run on six hits and three walks over six innings, striking out eight. It was a nice bounce-back by the 25-year-old, who had given up 13 runs over his previous 18 1/3 innings.
“When Walker does that twice early in the game, it gets the party started,” Pfaadt said. “I think it’s a lot easier to attack the zone, make some pitches early, and frees up the zone.”
Kevin Newman had three hits, including a two-run single. Pederson’s grand slam—the third of his career—came in the seventh off Luis García and traveled 430 feet into the right-center field seats.
Pederson added a run-scoring single in the eighth for a five-RBI night. The D-backs needed just nine hits to do their damage, while also coaxing six walks.
Canning (2–7) gave up four runs on four hits and a walk in six innings, pitching fairly well except for Walker’s two homers.
“He competed,” Angels Manager Ron Washington said. “We were in the game until the seventh inning. A hit here, a hit there, maybe a double somewhere along the line, it’s a different ballgame.”
Los Angeles’ Mickey Moniak had a two-out, RBI single in the fourth to cut Arizona’s advantage to 4–1. Luis Rengifo added two hits.
Trainer’s Room
Diamondbacks: Center fielder Alek Thomas (hamstring) hit a home run on Thursday while on a rehab assignment in the Arizona Complex League. He’s expected to return soon.Up Next
Angels: Left-hander Tyler Anderson (5–6, 2.63 earned-run average) is scheduled to start Friday in the opener of a three-game series at San Francisco. The Giants plan to counter with right-hander Spencer Howard (0–0, 2.03).Diamondbacks: Right-hander Ryne Nelson (3–5, 5.96) is set to start the opener of a home series against the Chicago White Sox on Friday. Right-hander Chris Flexen (2–5, 5.06) is the scheduled starter for the Sox.
