Ahmed proves he’s more than just Gold Glove SS

DENVER – After watching Nick Ahmed establish a career-high in home runs last year, Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo believes he is seeing his Gold Glove shortstop continue to evolve at the plate.

“He’s using the other side of the field,” Lovullo said. “He’s not trying to do too much. He’s got great power, but he looks like he’s taking what the pitcher is giving him. It’s fun to watch.”

To Lovullo’s point, Ahmed, who entered Thursday hitting .277 with a .756 OPS, is pulling the ball less this season than he has at any point in his career.

He hasn’t hit for the same power as last season, when he connected for 16 homers, but he is finding more holes and reaching base far more often. He also has the highest walk rate (7.6 percent) of his career, up half a percent from last season.

Lovullo said Ahmed has been employing a wider stance that has allowed him to see the ball better and remain balanced throughout his swing.

“I think he’s adding one more piece to the puzzle every year and he keeps growing and learning as a hitter,” Lovullo said. “I think he takes it personal that people see him as a one-dimensional (i.e., defensive-minded) player. That motivates him.”

Signs of life

Lovullo said he was tempted to give slugger Kevin Cron another start on Thursday afternoon but chose to stick with Christian Walker, whom Lovullo said remains the club’s primary first baseman.

He thought Walker’s pinch-hit single on Wednesday night might get him going,

particularly after he had taken higher quality at-bats the previous three games.

“He’s seeing pitches, swinging at the strikes, putting balls in play aggressively – those are all good signs that something is coming,” Lovullo said Thursday morning. “I feel like he’s in a very good spot.”

Walker rewarded his manager’s faith, connecting on a two-run homer in the first inning off Rockies lefty Kyle Freeland on Thursday and adding a single in the Diamondbacks’ five-run eighth inning.

Cron had two doubles and made hard contact in each of his four trips to the plate on Wednesday night. He struck out as a pinch hitter on Thursday.

Memorable moment

Right-hander Taylor Clarke’s rough start on Thursday – he gave up five runs in just two innings – prevented him from fully enjoying the solo home run he hit in the second inning. Clarke, 26, said it was his first home run – and the hardest ball he can remember hitting -since high school.

“It’s too bad it didn’t come on a little better day, pitching-wise, but that was pretty cool,” Clarke said. “I knew I put a good swing on it and hit it well. With the trajectory of it, I thought it was more of a line drive to the left fielder. I just watched it go over the fence when I got to first and I couldn’t believe it. It was almost like I didn’t know what to do.”

Clarke connected on a 91-mph fastball from Rockies lefty Kyle Freeland on a 2-2 count.

Short hops

❚ Lovullo officially named right-hander Jon Duplantier the club’s starter for Friday against the New York Mets, a move that had been anticipated since right-hander Luke Weaver exited his start with forearm tightness on Sunday in San Francisco.

❚ Diamondbacks CEO Derrick Hall was elected as part of the 2019 Arizona Sports Hall of Fame class. He will be induced during a ceremony at the Scottsdale Plaza Resort on November 1.