D'backs tie franchise record with 21 hits, beat Rangers 19-4
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Eduardo Escobar and his Arizona teammates jumped all over Texas' pitchers en route to a record tying night.
Escobar homered twice, and the Diamondbacks' red-hot bats tied a franchise record for a nine-inning game with 21 hits while thumping the Texas Rangers 19-4.
The 19 runs were Arizona's most since setting a franchise record with 20 against the San Diego Padres last July.
Escobar's first homer sparked a seven-run first-inning ambush against right-handed starter Jesse Chavez (3-5), who got just two outs.
"(Chavez) is a down-ball pitcher," Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said. "We were aware that he was going to try to crisscross the strike zone. Our guys had a good game plan. They knew what they were going to be looking for."
Neither Chavez, who has been in and out of the rotation this season, nor Texas manager Chris Woodward were panicking.
"I took a shower," Chavez said. "When you get your hands dirty like I tell my kids, rinse it off and tomorrow's another day."
Woodward said, "We're not giving up on anybody by any means. We just need to execute a little better."
The switch-hitting Escobar added a three-run homer batting right-handed against Kyle Bird in the sixth and had five RBIs. Kevin Cron, Jarrod Dyson and Carson Kelly also homered for Arizona.
Jake Lamb doubled twice and drove in two runs.
"We were aggressive on pitches in the zone," Lamb said. "You feel like you're going to get more and more pitches in the zone once you get a certain lead."
Arizona also had 21 hits in an 18-2 win over San Francisco in May. The franchise record for any game is 22, set during an 18-inning, 12-7 win over Philadelphia on Aug. 24, 2013.
Robbie Ray (8-6) and two relievers cruised through the blowout. Ray has won all three of his starts in July. Back-to-back homers by Danny Santana and Logan Forsythe provided three Texas runs in the second inning, and Santana added a solo homer against Ray in the sixth.
The teams combined to hit eight homers, five in the first two innings.
"I thought I pitched pretty well," Ray said. "A couple unfortunate home runs. You saw the way the ball was flying tonight."
By sweeping a two-game series at Texas, the Diamondbacks stayed in the thick of the crowded NL playoff race. The Rangers' fourth straight loss dropped them five games behind the AL's second wild card.
Leadoff batter Dyson had four at-bats in the first three innings, which ended with Arizona leading 14-3.
Adam Jones went into the game needing two hits to reach 1,900 for his career. He collected a double and a single in the first two innings and added singles in the third and sixth innings.
The 19 runs were the most allowed by Texas this season.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Diamondbacks: Dyson left in the sixth inning because of a right hamstring cramp. Manager Torey Lovullo said Dyson has a scheduled day off Thursday and is considered day to day. . INF Wilmer Flores (right foot contusion) could return Thursday from a rehab assignment. ... Utility man Blake Swihart (strained right oblique) began a rehab assignment Wednesday at Class A Visalia, where RHP Jon Duplantier (shoulder inflammation) is scheduled to make a rehab start Thursday.
TRADE WINS
Arizona LHP Robbie Ray has been mentioned in trade talks, but he might be staying in the desert if the Diamondbacks keep winning.
"If we can continue what we did tonight, get on a little bit of a roll, it's ours to take," Ray said. "I don't really pay much attention to (trade rumors) a whole lot. I do my job and I think everything else will fall into place.
POSITION WANTED: 3B?
The Rangers' Danny Santana took ground balls at third base before Wednesday's game. He has played six other positions this season, but only six of his 433 career games have been at third, most recently for Atlanta in 2017.
3B Asdrubal Cabrera has batted .131 (11 for 84) in his last 25 games.
"That's the only place where (Santana) hasn't really played," manager Chris Woodward said. "Against Houston (this weekend), they have a lot of right-handed hitters, so (playing Santana at third) wouldn't be the best scenario."
UP NEXT
Diamondbacks: Return home Thursday to open a four-game series against Milwaukee. 30-year-old rookie RHP Merrill Kelly (7-9, 3.93), on a personal three-game losing streak, will oppose Brewers RHP Zach Davies (7-2, 2.89).
Rangers: Begin a three-game series at Houston on Friday. The All-Star starters will be LHP Mike Minor (8-4, 2.73) for Texas and RHP Justin Verlander (11-4, 2.98).
