Snake Bytes, 9/1: Sweeping into Denver

Recaps

[MLB] Catalyst Goldy reaches another benchmark - During the three-game sweep, Goldschmidt went 5-for-11 with two homers, two doubles and five RBIs. When he scored on an A.J. Pollock homer in the third, he became the first player in D-backs history with four 100-run seasons. "That was awesome," Gregor Blanco said. "He's the guy, you know? He's the guy who always comes up in the big situation and comes through. I'm just really proud to play on a team with him. He's awesome to watch." After Thursday's performance, Goldschmidt is hitting .319 with 33 homers and 109 RBIs

[AZ Central] A.J. Pollock turns heads with performance at the plate, on the field - A pirouette into the wall in center field to rob an extra-base hit from the Dodgers’ Cody Bellinger was key, stranding a runner at second to close out the top half of the third. Pollock followed up that highlight by hitting a two-run homer in the bottom of the inning, and then made another highlight-reel catch in the ninth when he sprawled out to take a hit away from Yasiel Puig. “That’s A.J., though,” manager Torey Lovullo said. “He’s going to do that no matter what the score is, what the situation is, what the inning is. He’ a premier center fielder.”

[Arizona Sports] D-backs stomp Maeda, become first to sweep Dodgers in 2017 - As has been the case all series long, the D-backs took an early lead on Thursday, scoring two runs in the first inning. “I thought we came out ready to play on a day game where things tend to get a little slippery because guys are fatigued,” manager Torey Lovullo said. “But we did exactly the things that we’ve done all year long.” But Arizona’s offense wasn’t finished. It scored three in the second, two in the third and one in the fifth. Los Angeles starter Kenta Maeda (12-6) lasted just three innings and was charged for seven runs (all earned) on eight hits and a walk.

[AZ Central] Greinke helps sweep of LA, moves into running for Cy Young Award - Greinke pitched six innings of one-run ball to win his 16th game of the season, which made him, for the moment, the winningest pitcher in the major leagues. (Milwaukee’s Zach Davies, with 15 wins, was scheduled to pitch later Thursday.) “He’s carried us all year long,” manager Torey Lovullo said. “To me, a Cy Young is somebody that is dependable, is durable, and Zack has been there every fifth day for us and gone out and executed as good as you possibly could have hoped. I think he deserves some strong consideration – very, very strong consideration.”

Team news

[MLB] Catcher Murphy visits D-backs, set for callup - John Ryan Murphy was in the D-backs' clubhouse Thursday morning, familiarizing himself with the club in anticipation of a promotion from Triple-A Reno once Major League rosters expand. "Obviously we dealt for him and knew what he would be able to bring to this organization," manager Torey Lovullo said. "With the priority that catching has taken on for us here at this level, we knew that he would be a nice fit. So we got him in here today just to see what everything looks like behind the scenes. He's on the taxi squad; he's not gonna be officially active until tomorrow, but we just thought it would be a good day for him to get on board and see how we operate here."

[SI] With Silly Hijinks and a Big Fastball, Archie Bradley Anchors a Resurgent Diamondbacks Bullpen - Doctors like to joke that anesthesiology is hours of boredom punctuated by moments of excitement. That’s true of relief pitching, too. As the Diamondbacks charge toward a playoff berth, their relievers are enjoying both parts of the job. The cups of water they place strategically on bullpen doorframes to target each other are just one of the ways the zaniest staff in the majors keeps busy. “Whoever gets out there latest usually gets it,” says McFarland of the downpours. When it is pointed out to him that a prank that is played daily loses some of its unexpectedness, he laughs. “It still works,” he says. “It’s still funny!”

[MLB] D-backs Zack Greinke making case for Cy Young - Greinke said he has no reason for his return to form and domination of opponents this season at home. Last year appears to be the anomaly. "Yeah, I've said this a million times," Greinke said. "Last year, I thought I pitched good the first half, but at the end of the year I pitched pretty bad. I was a little unlucky the first half, but after I came back from the injury I never got it going. I don't think that was the reason for it. I just never pitched good the second half."

[Arizona Sports] D-backs' Torey Lovullo is a 'huge fan' of Cardinals' David Johnson - On their way to the Mile High City, Arizona’s players were having some fun dressing up for their upcoming fantasy football draft by wearing (mostly) NFL jerseys for their flight to the mile-high city. Brandon Drury wore a Seahawks Russell Wilson jersey on Thursday morning when he arrived to the clubhouse. Fernando Rodney wore a Larry Fitzgerald jersey. What did manager Torey Lovullo wear? “David Johnson,” Lovullo said. “Huge fan. I had a chance to meet him earlier this year. He came in with his wife and child and spent about 15, 20 minutes with me and I felt like — he was so humble. I didn’t know I was around greatness.”

[Inside the 'Zona] 2017 Diamondbacks AFL Preview - For the viewer, it’s a tremendous opportunity to see some of baseball’s best prospects up close and personal, hearing the grunt of the pitcher (not Robbie Ray or Zack Greinke grunts, but still grunts nonetheless), the sound the ball makes when it’s pounded foul off the plate, and the chatter from infielders determining who’s covering the bag. It’s about as “real” of a snapshot of baseball as one can get anywhere in the world and should be on every baseball junky’s bucket list.

And in the NSFW department, one D-backs fan had rather more resting on the outcome of yesterday’s game than most of us! We await word on whether the Dodgers fan in question paid up.

And, elsewhere...

[ESPN] Los Angeles Angels acquire outfielder Justin Upton from Detroit Tigers - The Los Angeles Angels acquired outfielder Justin Upton from the Detroit Tigers on Thursday as the deadline for players to be available for the postseason wound down. Upton, 30, is hitting .279 with 28 homers and 94 RBIs this season. The Angels sent minor league pitcher Grayson Long and a player to be named later or cash considerations to Detroit in the trade.

[GoColumbiaLions] What I Did This Summer: Matt Karo Interns With MLB in China - Karo coached approximately 70 children, teaching them the ins-and-outs of baseball and about western culture. "These kids had never played baseball before,” commented Karo. “The first two days, they could not really catch the ball or execute the fundamentals. By the end of the time, we were playing games and they are getting hits and doing things we never would have believe after the way we started. It was an amazing level of transformation and improvement with these kids.”

[The Onion] Disturbing Report Reveals Cruel, Disgusting Conditions For Prospects Kept In MLB Farm System - “These players should be given the room to grow into major leaguers, but instead they are forced into horrific assembly-line conditions that break their spirits and oftentimes lead to horrific injuries. Pitchers, outfielders, and catchers alike are essentially being tortured as they wait around to one day be cut and discarded.” The damning report added that the horrible conditions may also increase aggressiveness among players and lead to violent, bench-clearing brawls.