Two Runs, Two Games: The Diamondbacks' Batters Are Lost at Home

Alright, what the heck is going on in Arizona? I'm watching this Diamondbacks series against the Nationals, and honestly, it's rough. These D-Backs batters have managed a measly **two runs across two entire games** heading into the series finale. Two runs! And to rub salt in the wound, they only scraped together eight hits total. Talk about a cold stretch at the plate. Arizona manager Torey Lovullo summed it up perfectly, saying, "We have to do a lot of things better." Yeah, no kidding, boss. This isn't just a slump, it's a full-blown offensive crisis right now.

Nationals Are Road Warriors Like You Wouldn't Believe

While Arizona is struggling to find any offense, the Washington Nationals are absolutely feasting on the road. Seriously, these guys are legitimate road warriors early in the season, proving they don't need home-field advantage to own it. With **21 road wins** already, they're only behind the Atlanta Braves, who have 23. That's a huge stat! What's even wilder? They're aiming for a full three-game sweep in Phoenix, having already crushed the D-Backs 14-1 in the opener and followed it up with a solid 6-1 victory on Saturday. This team has lost only one of their past eight series overall and just pulled off winning **four straight road series** for the first time since May 2018. Nationals pitcher Zack Littell, who snagged his sixth straight decision with that Saturday win, says the energy is always there. "It feels like we come every day ready to play," he told reporters. "It would have been pretty easy coming off a sweep (by the Miami Marlins) and an off day to come out a little sluggish, but to put it on them like we did yesterday and continue it today was awesome." You gotta respect that fire.

Cavalli's Comeback and Soroka's Setback

Part of the Nationals' early season mojo is definitely tied to Cade Cavalli. The 27-year-old right-hander, who missed all of 2023 and most of 2024 recovering from Tommy John surgery, is looking sharp. He's making his **14th start** of the season with a 3-3 record and a 3.62 ERA. Here's the kicker: Cavalli hasn't given up more than three earned runs in any of his past nine starts, and his ERA is the lowest it's been since the first week of April. He's won two of his last three decisions, with his only loss in that stretch being a 2-1 heartbreaker to the Mets where he punched out nine in seven innings. Manager Blake Butera is stoked, saying Cavalli "He's done an outstanding job for us, and he's still so young. ... Also the confidence. I think that's what stands out the most." Cavalli is set to face Arizona's Michael Soroka (7-3, 3.49 ERA) in the series finale, a pitcher who just gave up more than two earned runs for only the third time in 12 starts during a 6-5 loss to the Dodgers. Soroka even coughed up a two-run homer to former teammate Freddie Freeman. Freeman, who played with Soroka in Atlanta, gave a shout-out to his buddy, saying it's "awesome" to see Soroka have success after battling injuries. Still, Soroka's recent outing and his 1-2 record against Washington in his career (all back in his 2019 All-Star, Cy Young contender days) doesn't exactly instill confidence for the D-Backs. So, can the Nats complete the sweep, or will the D-Backs finally wake up their bats for Soroka? It's all on the line in the series finale. Meanwhile, back here in the Emerald City, our Mariners just shut out the Detroit Tigers 4-0. Let's keep that momentum rolling, M's!

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.