The Arizona Diamondbacks moved to 90-66 on the season after beating the Pittsburgh Pirates 8-5 on Wednesday. What does that mean? The team is now only two games away from clinching the NL West and beating out the San Francisco Giants, a huge accomplishment for a squad that had very modest expectations at the beginning of the year.
It's not done yet, though. The team does not play again until Friday, and they will be keeping a close eye on the Giants between now and then. So close an eye, in fact, that the team plans to watch Thursday's Giants game against the Los Angeles Dodgers together if San Francisco loses tonight's game, according to the Arizona Republic's Nick Piecoro.
Two losses by the Giants would seal a Diamondbacks division title. Arizona has not shown much outward emotion in its triumphant season thus far, and this TV party resonates along the same lines. It's nothing big, nothing fancy. Just a matter-of-fact event that the team will use as a means to find out its playoff future. If the Giants lose, the Diamondbacks are in.
Even if the Giants don't lose, Arizona gets a chance to close things out on their home field. The two teams square off in a three-game series starting Friday, and a win or two in that series (depending on how the Giants fare over the next two days) would give them the title. Will the Diamondbacks be on the field or on the couch when they clinch (assuming that they do)? Stay tuned.