Announcers marvel at player's incredible hot streak

Arizona Diamondbacks slugger Christian Walker completed the series of a lifetime on Thursday against the Los Angeles Dodgers. And those calling Walker’s heroics could do little more than marvel.

Even before this series began, Walker had already enjoyed a lot of success against the Dodgers in 2024. He hit two home runs when the teams met earlier in the season in Arizona and two more when they played in Los Angeles in May. Walker kept that momentum going into Thursday night’s game at Dodger Stadium, hitting a home run on Tuesday and two more on Wednesday. He wasted no time continuing that hot stretch on Thursday.

Walker drilled a two-run homer in his first at-bat of Thursday’s game, giving the Diamondbacks a 2-0 lead. It was his eighth home run against the Dodgers in 2024 and his sixth in six games at Dodger Stadium.

The score was still 2-0 when Walker came up with a man on and two outs in the third inning. Immediately prior to the 1-1 offering from Dodgers pitcher Landon Knack, Diamondbacks announcer Steve Berthiaume noted Walker’s hot streak while analyst Tom Candiotti said, “Must see TV, right here.” Walker then drilled Knack’s 1-1 pitch into the Dodger bullpen. Knack knew immediately that was a home run. So did Berthiaume.

“Another one’s on its way,” Berthiaume exclaimed. “Christian Walker has taken over Dodger Stadium. There is no explanation for this. It just goes on and on and on. It’s amazing…this defies all logic.”

Joe Davis and Eric Karros, calling the game for the Dodgers on Spectrum SportsNet LA, were similarly amazed.

“He’s only the fourth guy to have eight home runs against the Dodgers before the All-Star Break ever –back into the 1890s when the franchise launched,” Davis said, just before Walker’s third-inning home run. Ken Boyer (of the) St. Louis Cardinals did it. Luis Gonzalez of the Diamondbacks did it. Willie Mays did it.”

Walker hit his ninth home run against the Dodgers this season right as Davis said “Mays.” Much like Berthiaume and Knack, Davis knew immediately that it was gone.

“Walker again sends a drive and stirring up echoes of names like Willie Mays with shots like that and series like this,” Davis said. “I don’t know if I’ve ever seen anything like it.”

“I’m going to say he’s beyond comfortable,” Karros added. “And at some point, that rests on the arms of the Dodger pitchers.”

“Four home runs in his last six at-bats,” Davis said.

The next hitter, Lourdes Gurriel, flew out to left field on the first pitch he saw, ending the inning. But before the broadcast went to commercial break, Davis added more perspective.

“Christian Walker, good player, even great player,” he said. “All-Star caliber player. But Hall of Fame caliber stretch right here.”

Walker came to the plate three more times. He was walked intentionally in the fifth inning and unintentionally on four pitches (and clearly pitched around) in the ninth. In between, the Dodgers actually retired Walker, getting him to ground out to shortstop to end the top of the seventh inning.

Arizona and Los Angeles will play once more this year — a four-game series in Arizona in late August-early September. But barring something unforeseen like a change of teams, Walker will not return to Chavez Ravine again in 2024 — at least not in the regular season. And we can’t imagine many Dodgers fans being too heartbroken about that.

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