LOS ANGELES (AP) — Arizona Diamondbacks slugger Christian Walker continued his Dodger Stadium rampage Thursday, homering in his first two at-bats for his 18th and 19th home runs in 42 career games at the ballpark.
He has homered in five consecutive games at the third-oldest ballpark in the majors, tying the longest single-season streak at the stadium with teammate Joc Pederson, who did it in 2015 with Los Angeles.
Pederson and Walker went back-to-back with two outs in the first off rookie Landon Knack, with Walker’s blast going 435 feet to center. After Pederson walked with two outs in the third, Walker followed with a two-run homer to left off Knack’s 1-2 pitch give Arizona 4-0 lead in the 9-3 victory.
Walker had five homers in the three-game series. He has 22 homers this season, nine against the Dodgers.
On Wednesday night, Walker homered twice and fell a triple shy of the cycle in a 12-4 victory.
“It’s a good place to hit, see the ball well,” Walker said Wednesday. “A big part of it is the lineup and the protection around me in the lineup, it gives me the freedom to take some big swings and try to change the score. It’s helpful coming up with guys on a lot.”
After opening with the two homers Thursday, Walker drew his first intentional walk of the series with two outs in the fifth. He was retired on a broken-bat groundout in the seventh, and drew a four-pitch walk to load the bases in the ninth.
The 33-year-old first baseman is from the same Norristown, Pennsylvania, hometown as late Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda. Walker was drafted by the Dodgers in 2009, but didn’t sign and instead played for the University of South Carolina, where he helped the Gamecocks win the College World Series in 2010 and 2011.
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