PHOENIX -- Fans may boo those four wide ones, but the Diamondbacks understand.
They wouldn't pitch to Paul Goldschmidt in most circumstances, either.
Goldschmidt walked four more times on Tuesday, once with the bases loaded, continuing a common theme that began when Milwaukee manager Craig Counsell took the bat out of Goldschmidt's hands four times in extra innings in a 7-6 loss Sunday.
The D-backs worked around it Tuesday, when A.J. Pollock's two-run homer put the finishing touch on a comeback from a two-run deficit for a 7-6 victory over Atlanta at Chase Field.
But the D-backs know those walks will be coming, and they are ready for the challenge that brings.
"We've got a great lineup up and down," Pollock said.
"There's going to be a point where guys are doing a lot of damage behind Goldy. He got hot maybe at the time where certain guys were not as hot. It's going to turn. You get Goldy on base, he steals bases and makes stuff happen. I think it's going to end up being a good thing for us.
"He's always rock solid out there, but when he gets even more hot than he usually is, I wouldn't go near it. I'd stay out of the zone too. I don't really blame them."
How can you?
Goldschmidt is hitting .355 after doubling in his only official at-bat Tuesday, with 13 doubles, 15 homers and 44 RBI. He is second in the NL in slugging percentage, OPS ... and walks (41). He received two more intentional walks Tuesday (after three on Sunday), bringing his major league-leading total to 12.
As much respect as a player can get?
"It's getting there, isn't it?" manager Chip Hale said.
"He deserves it. I can't say I would do anything different than they are doing, or any of these teams, because the one time they do pitch him, he hits a double in the gap. He's just a special guy. He's locked in, I think, from the time he gets up at home."
The D-backs have received some good contributions from the players around No. 3 hitter Goldschmidt. Pollock, hitting .314 this season, is hitting .397 with three homers, nine RBI and 13 runs in his last 14 games.
David Peralta, who missed his second straight game with a left middle finger contusion, has 24 RBI mostly from the No. 4 spot in the order. Mark Trumbo has 23 RBI while hitting second, fourth and fifth. Yasmany Tomas, who has batted fourth and fifth, has 18 RBI. Tomas had two hits Tuesday, including an RBI single to close the deficit to 6-5 in the sixth inning, setting the stage for Pollock's homer.
Pollock has hit fourth several times this season, and that could continue as the D-backs look for ways to take advantage of teams putting Goldschmidt on base.
"We'll mix it up," Hale said. "It's not easy to hit behind him. Mark had some good at-bats behind him. Maybe we'll put Pollock behind him. We'll just see. We'll mix and match like we have all year."
One of the issues recently is that Goldschmidt has been in several must-walk situations. He was intentionally walked twice with a runner on second base and once with a runner on third base in extra innings in Milwaukee, and twice with a runner on second base Tuesday.
The open base, coupled with Goldschmidt's potential to do damage, is too tempting for opposing managers to refuse.
Atlanta was so careful with him that right-hander Shelby Miller walked him on five pitches with the bases loaded and two outs in the second inning as the D-backs built a 3-1 lead that became 4-1 with Pollock's RBI groundout in the fourth. Miller did not have his best command for maybe the first time this season, but he still was understandably wary.
"The first couple at-bats, just some pitches got away from him, I'm sure," said Goldschmidt, who also walked with none on and two out in the first inning. "Then the couple intentional walks with a base open, it's a decision they made."
Goldschmidt is not tempted to expand his hitting zone to counter the strategy, and he does not permit himself to get frustrated by it.
"You get to get on base and another chance to get another runner and score a run. It's just my mindset," he said. "Any time we can get an extra runner on base, whether it's me or someone else, we've got a lot of confidence in the other guys. It's just more opportunities to score more runs."
A.J. Pollock seems more and more deserving of an All-Star berth. His game-deciding homer was the 51st to land in the Chase Field swimming pool, the 29th by the D-backs. He hit a 1-0 fastball with Ender Inciarte on first base. "I just got a pitch middle-away and hoped to put it in the gap and watch Ender run," he said.
3 -- Strikes that Paul Goldschmidt saw in his five plate appearances. He took one before walking in each of the first two innings before lining the third strike he saw into the gap in left-center for a double in the seventh.
* Archie Bradley remains in line to make his next start Saturday, manager Chip Hale said, despite his recent difficulties after being struck by a line drive. Hale saw some positives Monday but also saw room for improvement. "His secondary stuff probably wasn't good enough," Hale said. "We'll see. As of right now, he's slated to make (the start)." Bradley has given up 19 runs in his last 15 2/3 innings. "I don't want him to stress out about each start being the last one," Hale said. "He just has to pitch. Whether you are pitching in rookie ball or the big leagues, you have to go out every fifth day. And that's what I felt like spring training was for him then. It didn't matter who he was pitching against; he was so focused and right on task. And he has just sort of ... since he has gotten hit, that has not been there." Vidal Nuno would be a candidate to start, but he also fits well in long relief.
* Left fielder David Peralta was a late scratch from the starting lineup but was available to pinch hit. Peralta was given another day to recover from a bruised left middle finger that was hurt when he fouled a bunt off his hands in the first inning Sunday. Mark Trumbo replaced Peralta in the cleanup spot, and Ender Inciarte moved to left field from right.
* David Hernandez pitched a scoreless inning while starting the second game of a doubleheader in Double-A Mobile on Tuesday. Hernandez has given up one hit and no runs while striking nine in six rehab appearances, all lasting one inning. The D-backs have said they want him to throw a second set of back-to-back outings before reevaluating him for a possible promotion to the majors for the first time since 2013. He missed the 2014 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery on April 2, 2014.
* Josh Collmenter was in line for a victory Tuesday after leaving with 4-1 lead in the sixth inning, but the bullpen gave up five runs, including two of his inherited runners. He threw 50 pitches in the first two innings, abbreviating his outing, although he threw more strikes and finished with 100 pitches in 5 2/3 innings. "It's frustrating," Collmenter said. "I left a lot of pitches and innings out there. It's not what it could be." He is 3-5 with a 5.03 ERA in 11 starts.
Ender Inciarte seemed no worse for the wear after a frightening collision in the third inning, when he made contact with a security guard stationed in foul territory down the left field line after catching Jace Peterson's foul fly. Inciarte held his neck after making the catch and stayed on the ground as trainers attended, but after two minutes he got to his feet and remained in the game. "I caught the ball, (then) I hit the guy," Inciarte said. "I thought I hit the wall, but it was his leg. My neck made a weird movement and I was a little sore after that. He has to be paying attention to what the fans are doing. Maybe he didn't have a chance to see me going his way. So I just hit him, but I'm fine." Inciarte had a two-run single, two walks, two stolen bases and two runs -- everything but the single coming after he made contact with the guard. He underwent treatment after the game.
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