Christian Walker Has Two Homer Night in D-backs 12-4 Rout over Dodgers

The offense and bullpen picked up Cristian Mena who had a shaky MLB debut as the D-backs came back from a 4-1 deficit to win the game.

Jul 3, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Christian Walker (53) gestures after hitting a double in the sixth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

As Christian Walker's second home run of the game soared high into the California night, the three-run blast put an exclamation point on an incredible game for the Arizona Diamondbacks. For only the second time all year they were able to come back and win a game in which they trailed by multiple runs. Down 4-1 after the first inning, they won 12-4.

Walker's first homer was a solo shot in the fourth inning. He also singled and narrowly missed a third homer when he doubled off the base of the left-field wall.

Walker is now batting .267 with a .845 OPS. He has 20 homers and 59 RBI. Remarkably, he has seven homers against the Dodgers this year, five of them in Dodger Stadium. His 17 homers in Dodger Stadium since 2017 are the most of any visiting player in MLB.

Christian Walker’s 19th homer of the year, 6th against the Dodgers this year and 16th in Dodger Stadium

It’s incredible. Just missed a other with a double off the wall too

pic.twitter.com/D2rFw4nZPi

— Jack Sommers (@shoewizard59) July 4, 2024

Prior to the road trip, Walker spoke to Inside the Diamondbacks about why Dodger Stadium is his favorite ballpark.

"My favorite is Dodger Stadium. I love the energy, the music, going in there and knowing the Dodgers are good. You show up and just a different level of play. The whole thing, it's a small ballpark so I feel like you get rewarded when you hit well."

Walker wasn't the only Diamondback to have a big night. Gabriel Moreno had a big two-run homer in the third inning to tie the ball game at 4-4. He also had a double and a single.

Something about playing the Dodgers seems to bring out the power from Gabriel Moreno

4-4 tie

pic.twitter.com/CfzsuGIFsf

— Jack Sommers (@shoewizard59) July 4, 2024

Lourdes Gurriel Jr. had a long two-run homer to left in the 6th to go with his sac fly RBI in the first inning. He also doubled and scored in the 8th.

Even slumping Eugenio Suarez got in on the the act, with two RBI doubles and two walks. The D-backs offense was relentless all night. They scored in seven of the nine innings. In all the D-backs had 16 hits and the 12 runs were the most runs they've scored in Dodger Stadium since 2017.

The way the game started, it was hard to imagine this would be the outcome. Cristian Mena was making his major league debut and it went south quickly in the bottom of the first. Staked to a 1-0 lead he gave up a three-run blast to Freddie Freeman and a solo homer to Teoscar Hernandez before recording an out.

A wide-eyed Mena could be seen getting instruction from pitching coach Brent Strom after the inning. "He just told me to forget about what happened, just go out there do it like nothing happened, like a new inning. Just go out there and forget, flush it, and do your best"

Mena calmed down and managed to throw two scoreless innings, allowing the offense to get to work. While his line of 3 IP, 4 ER on 4 hits, 3 Walks, and 3 Strikeouts is not pretty, his offense picked him up and the result was a win. Said Mena, "I will never forget this"

It's also important not to forget just how good the Diamondbacks bullpen was tonight. While the offense was doing its thing, Bryce Jarvis, Joe Mantiply, Kevin Ginkel, and Thayago Vieira combined to throw six scoreless innings while giving up just two hits. They snuffed out any chance the Dodgers had of keeping the game close as the D-backs pulled away.

Game three of the four game series is Thursday, 4th of July, at 6:10 P.M. Diamondbacks Ace Zac Gallen will pitch for Arizona while Landon Knack toes the rubber for the Dodgers.