Arizona Diamondbacks rookie center fielder Corbin Carroll became the first player in franchise history to record two games of at least two stolen bases and a home run in the same season on Tuesday.
Carroll walked to lead off the fourth inning and promptly stole second and third base before scoring on a sacrifice fly by Gabriel Moreno. His solo home run in the sixth gave Arizona a five-run lead over the Colorado Rockies, and the Diamondbacks went on to a 5-1 victory in Phoenix.
Carroll credited Arizona assistant athletic trainer Max Esposito for his ability to mix his speed with power. Carroll has nine home runs and 16 stolen bases in 52 games this season.
“It’s Max. … I think it all comes down with preparation and we’ve got the best preparers on our team,” Carroll said. “We’re out there and we kind of already know before we go out there that we might get a guy (to steal a base). All credit to him.”
The Diamondbacks will try to win their second series against the Rockies this season on Wednesday when the teams play the third contest of a four-game series. Arizona posted a 7-5 win in the series opener on Monday.
Diamondbacks left-hander Tommy Henry (2-1, 4.50 ERA) will start against right-hander Dinelson Lamet (1-1, 12.66) on Wednesday.
Henry has won both of his career starts against the Rockies, including Arizona’s 11-4 victory at Colorado on April 29. He allowed four runs on seven hits in 5 1/3 innings with three strikeouts and one walk in that game.
He has registered a 5.91 ERA in 10 2/3 innings in his career versus the Rockies.
Lamet was activated for Wednesday’s game after he worked his way back from sustaining a lower-back injury on May 4. He was placed him on the 15-day injured list and made three starts in a rehab assignment at Triple-A Albuquerque.
He is 3-3 with a 6.94 ERA in 13 career games (six starts) against Arizona.
The Rockies are 9-18 on the road while the Diamondbacks are 17-12 at home.
Colorado had a promising development with right-handed reliever Blair Calvo, who made a strong big-league debut on Tuesday. He retired the side on 11 pitches in the eighth inning.
Calvo, 27, has played more than four seasons in the minors after signing for $3,000 as a 23rd-round draftee out of Florida’s Flagler Junior College in 2019. He is 11-9 with a 4.86 ERA in his career in the minors.
His family was in attendance Tuesday night.
“It was an awesome experience,” Calvo said. “I was so glad that my family could come out and make it. They’ve been so supportive of me through the minor leagues. It’s a blessing. It’s been amazing.”
Karl Kauffmann, who started Monday against the Diamondbacks and gave up seven runs in four innings, was optioned to Triple-A Albuquerque on Tuesday. That cleared the way for Calvo’s promotion.
–Field Level Media
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