Upon entering the Diamondbacks clubhouse after their victory over the Dodgers, a large sign appearing on the TV next to the door displayed the team's current state of being. It said, "4 Games", signifying how many games behind the St. Louis Cardinals Arizona is in the Wild Card standings. Four games? That doesn't sound like a lot, but with just 19 games left on the regular season schedule, the D-Backs will have to work fast in order to make the postseason.
Pitcher Trevor Cahill doesn't seem too worried. He came off a brilliant performance against the Dodgers, going seven full innings and allowing just two runs on his watch. The night before, Ian Kennedy allowed just one earned run. It will take plenty of inspired performances like these if they want to continue their recent success. Still, they keep their heads in the right frame of mind.
"It's good," Cahill said of the feeling amongst the team. "We've won a few one run games against division rivals. Sometimes those are better than blowouts. If you're able to have a one run game like today, coming from behind; we're definitely not out of it. We never thought we were."
The team has shown a small flash of what their whole 2011 season was about over the past week. Come from behind wins have put the Diamondbacks in position to make a come from behind playoff run, one that up until these past few days, seemed wildly unrealistic.
But for Arizona, the idea was far from intangible. By sweeping the Dodgers and taking 2 of 3 from the Giants two series ago, the D-Backs are beating quality divisional opponents all while climbing in the standings. All they need now is for the Cardinals and/or Braves to continue stumbling and they will be in prime position to steal a playoff spot at the last possible moment.
Manager Kirk Gibson expects that out of his team. He seems to enjoy the new Wild Card structure, citing that it has made things more "exciting" with all of the teams involved. He feels that Arizona is on the prowl and that they, "need to keep running in the same direction."
His starting pitcher, Trevor Cahill, seems to get the gist of it.
"We're just going to come in here and try and win one game at a time."
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