Moore

This summer has been great with the Diamondbacks in contention for the first time in years. They’re likely to make the playoffs, and they have a real chance to win the NL West. The club has done neither since 2011, and Chase Field is developing a sense of energy.

The problem is everything has been going too well for it to continue at this clip. Take Herrmann, for example. His past performance indicates he shouldn’t have hit that homer in that situation. But he did, and it’s yet another example of how things just seem to work out the right way for this team. 28,000, marking a real turnaround from the low point of 12,000 against the Padres in late April.

But everybody loves a winner. How will everyone respond when the team inevitably slows from the better than .800 pace it’s been on lately? (And, yes, it’s possible the torrid play could continue indefinitely. But for the sake of comparison, to finish the season over .800, a club would have to win more than 130 games. To do that, Arizona could lose only four more games all year. No team in the modern era has ever hit that winning percentage.)

Their record in one-run games isn’t likely to be sustainable, since those can go either way depending on any number of factors.

Also, the team’s overall unfamiliarity with winning in recent seasons means they would need to sustain a level of focus they’ve never reached.

They can’t rely on winning muscle memory like the only team that’s been hotter than they have lately – the division-rival Dodgers.

There’s reason for optimism in how the team will respond to inevitable adversity. At the end of April and into early May, the Diamondbacks dropped eight of 12. Then they transitioned into the tear they’ve been on.

Herrmann said the recent strong play reflects the team chemistry, which has grown into a bond that feel like “a big family to us.”

As he spoke, winning pitcher Zack Greinke chased his toddler son around the clubhouse making monster noises.

It’s not clear, however, how the fans might respond. Lovullo on Sunday said the club has noticed the increased recent support.

“The crowds that have been behind us over the past couple of days have been very well-received in the dugout,” he said. “These guys have made several comments about the energy in the stadium. The fans are very engaged, and we appreciate that. We know they’re there, and we love seeing them.”

Again, a minor slump or slowdown, won’t scuttle the season. But to catch the Dodgers, who have won 10 in a row and 16 of 17 entering Monday, they’ll need to minimize any downturns. A pennant means more than a wild card, if only for memories and marketing.

What we’ve seen suggests the team will be able to bounce back. We don’t yet know about the fans.