The major league leader in triples will take his cracks at “Triples Alley” in San Francisco when Corbin Carroll and the Arizona Diamondbacks attempt to repeat last week’s success against the Giants in a three-game set beginning Monday afternoon.
Carroll had three hits, including a pair of triples, in two games when the Diamondbacks swept a three-game series from the Giants in Phoenix last week.
The 25-year-old speedy outfielder has since added eight more hits, including two more triples, while the Diamondbacks took three of four from the visiting Colorado Rockies in a series that ended Sunday.
Carroll now has eight triples, twice as many as any other player. His second on Sunday gave him 51 for his career, one shy of Stephen Drew’s franchise record.
“It’s definitely cool. A lot of great players obviously have played here,” the two-time All-Star told reporters after becoming the second-fastest in major league history — 537 games — to accumulate 50 triples and 80 home runs in a career. The only player who did it faster was Lou Gehrig in 461 games.
“I’m just running,” Carroll added. “I want to take advantage of what’s given to me.”
Carroll and the Diamondbacks will take on Giants right-hander Landen Roupp (5-4, 3.27 ERA) in the series opener.
Roupp pitched well against the Diamondbacks last Tuesday, allowing just one run in six innings. But Arizona rallied in the ninth for four runs and a 5-3 walk-off win.
Carroll added to his triple total against Roupp as part of a 1-for-3 night.
The 27-year-old Roupp has faced Arizona four times in his career, twice as a starter, and has yet to record a decision while compiling a 3.45 ERA.
The Diamondbacks are coming off 5-4 and 9-1 wins against the Rockies. That scoring total, however, was eclipsed by the 18 runs the Giants put up in winning their last two games against the visiting Chicago White Sox, 10-3 and 8-5.
The 18 runs were the most the Giants have totaled in back-to-back games this season.
Rafael Devers hit a grand slam and drove in five runs Sunday, but the Giants’ big bat over the weekend belonged to Casey Schmitt, who went 4-for-8 with two home runs, four runs and six RBIs in the last two games.
As opposed to Carroll, who has played only right field this season, Schmitt has bounced around the diamond, seeing time at all four infield positions as well as left field. He also has served as the designated hitter.
Schmitt admitted after Sunday’s win, a game in which he played first base, that his offense isn’t impacted by where he plays in the field, as long as he can count on being in the lineup.
“Taking control of my at-bats is big for me,” Schmitt told a television audience from the field following the game. “Being in the moment. Staying in the moment. Taking a deep breath. This is a tough game, just trying to relax.”
Schmitt homered off Merrill Kelly (4-3, 5.71), Monday’s scheduled starter for Arizona, when they went head-to-head last Wednesday in a 6-3 Diamondbacks win.
The right-hander got the victory, allowing three runs in six innings. It improved his career record against the Giants to 9-5 with a 3.30 ERA in 22 starts.
–Field Level Media
