As a form of self-protection, I like to tell myself before a doubleheader that it’s rare for a team to win a doubleheader. That mantra reassures me that if my team loses the opener, they’re more likely to win the second game, and it’s a nice reminder that if they win the opener and lose the second game, it was unlikely to happen anyway. That goes double for a doubleheader that closes out a series and a possible sweep. It’s difficult enough to win a series, let alone do so on the road and against one of the major leagues’ top teams, which is why the D-backs’ performance today is all the more impressive. After capturing the matinee with a dramatic performance that included Ketel Marte’s recent ninth-inning home run, they won the second game as well with impressive power and excellent hitting.

Not surprisingly, the team that comes into training camp in March after spring break is not the same as it was in August due to the marathon baseball season, not to mention the team that finishes the season. Whether due to injuries, transfers or lack of production — or even a combination of these — each team must rely on its depth to fill gaps throughout the year. The good and lucky teams are the ones that can find answers and consistency. Tonight’s game featured several answers from Mike Hazen, including Eduardo Rodriguez’s long-awaited team debut, Josh Bell continuing his breakout streak in Sedona Red, and top talent Adrian Del Castillo contributing in his major league debut.

In the matinee performance, Brandon Pfaadt’s performance set the tone for the game – and possibly the entire day. He was absolutely dominant for most of his outing, giving the team some much-needed length with 18 innings. Rodriguez picked up the baton and ran with it, as he certainly met the measured expectations in his team debut. He came in just one point shy of a “good start” with just 65 pitches as he took advantage of an aggressive Guardians lineup trying to salvage the series finale. It wasn’t quite as dominant as Pfaadt’s performance, as he was only able to throw two clean innings on the afternoon, but there were a few stretches that showed why Hazen and company trusted him with a four-year, $80 million contract in the offseason.

Just like in the first game, the D-Backs wasted no time and scored first when Bell brought the third pitch he saw to Cleveland’s flag court, setting up a 1:0 lead. The offense wasn’t over for the inning, however, as Eugenio Suarez hit a changeup off the wall for a double. Randal Grichuk couldn’t catch him, though, giving Del Castillo his first-ever major league batting appearance. He didn’t seem at all intimidated and quickly got his first hit and RBI with a wall-scraper that scored Suarez and extended the lead. 2:0. The broadcast was barely back when the Guardians reacted when David Fry hit the very first pitch of the second half of the second inning straight into the center for a 2:1 Deficit.

Amazingly, the Answerbacks quickly killed any trace of Cleveland’s momentum when Corbin Carroll earned a leadoff walk, easily stole second base and forced Austin Hedges into a weak throwdown that sailed to center and moved Carroll to third base. Of course, neither Ketel Marte nor Joc Pederson could get the ball in play enough for the speedster to run in, and it looked like the D-Backs were going to waste a golden scoring opportunity early in the game. Instead, Bell hit his second home run of the game to put the D-Backs ahead. 4:1. Unbearably, the offense scored just one more run on a solo hit by Grichuk in the seventh inning, while going a pathetic 2-for-12 with runners in scoring position. The Guardians were somehow even worse, not getting a single hit in such situations. Instead, they scored their other two runs on a solo hit and a sacrifice fly by Jose Ramirez and Angel Martinez, respectively.

After Rodriguez was eliminated in the bottom of the sixth inning, the Arizona bullpen was absolutely superior, allowing only four baserunners through the bottom of the ninth. With Paul Sewald making a mostly clean save in the first, Lovullo called up young Justin Martinez to make a much tighter save in the final game. Unfortunately, it was a lot more stressful than it needed to be. John Kensy Noel opened the inning with a bloop single before things got a little dicey when Martinez batted down a one-out comebacker that could have been a game-ending double play but should have at least been the second out of the inning. Instead, Martinez rushed the throw and threw it to the second outfield, causing his first error of the season and bringing up the tying score. He responded by throwing out Bo Naylor with a dirty splitter, but then walked pinch hitter Daniel Schneemann to load the bases. Luckily, he finally got his third career save by throwing out Lane Thomas with a 100+ mph fastball well outside the zone. He’s not done yet, to say the least, but he could be a devastating weapon in crucial situations for years to come.

On a macro level, the D-backs finish the night just three games behind the mighty Dodgers (along with the Padres) to top the division and two games out of the first National League wild card spot. They still have another crucial series to play, as the Phillies come to town just as the team is starting to really hit its stride. Most encouragingly, they’ve finally found a balanced attack that utilizes all of the roster’s strengths with surprising power and excellent speed.