Fresh off a statement series win in Atlanta, the Arizona Diamondbacks face another big challenge against the Boston Red Sox.
While the Arizona Diamondbacks dropped the series finale against the Atlanta Braves, 5-3, they outscored Atlanta 12-3 in the first two games of the series.
Seeing as the Braves are currently 7.5 games up in the National League East, that was a huge series to win, especially since it wasn't at Chase Field.
Now, the D-backs head straight to Fenway for a crucial three-game slate against a red-hot Boston Red Sox squad.
Boston may be 8.5 games back in the American League East, but they are currently five games up in the Wild Card race.
As for Arizona, they now fell one game out of that third Wild Card spot, but it's an extremely close competition as the third-place San Diego Padres just so happen to have the same record as the second-place Philadelphia Phillies.
Looking at what the Diamondbacks just did in Atlanta, this team desperately needs another series win against a credible opponent in order to keep their playoff hopes alive.
Red Sox are just 29-31 at home
It comes as no surprise that the Diamondbacks are two games under .500 in contests played away from home, but the Red Sox are uncharacteristically much better on the road than they are at Fenway.
Boston is 37-27 on the road, but they're just 29-31 at home, which is something the D-backs must try to exploit.
That said, these Red Sox have been on a major slump. Historic winning streak aside, they've dropped seven of their last nine. Overall, they're just 3-7 in their last 10 games, and while only three of those games were at home, they went just 1-2 in that stretch.
After a 2-5 road trip, Boston returns home where they'll get to play six straight games against teams in the NL West. It begins against the D-backs, a team hungry to get back into a Wild Card spot.
Arizona must keep momentum on their side
This Diamondbacks team has been a bit streaky, to say the least, but they're well above .500 and continue to win when it matters.
Overall, they have a +18 run differential, which is better than the Phillies and Padres combined (+12). This team may be just 5-5 in their last 10, but they now have a chance to win back-to-back road series against the Braves and Red Sox, two teams who should be making the playoffs, and that's a conversation Arizona knows they need to be part of.
