The Diamondbacks played an all-around terrible game in a 6-1 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays. The loss marked the first time since June 27 that Arizona has lost a series. They had won their previous nine series and had not lost any of their past 13 series.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!It was a game where the Diamondbacks did not have a chance from the start. They trailed 4-0 before getting their first baserunner, made mistakes in the field that cost them runs, the bullpen gave up runs, and only had five hits on the day.
It’s unclear how all of a sudden a team that had won 30 of 40 games could play so poorly in back-to-back games, but the Diamondbacks have struggled on the east coast. Playing National League and American League East teams on the road, they are now 6-12 on the season. The good news is they will not have to play another game in the Eastern time zone after this road trip.
Zac Gallen got clipped early in the game, as Tampa Bay put two runs on the Diamondbacks’ ace in each of the first two innings. While Gallen was able to give Arizona five innings, it was another shaky start. The Rays got him for those four runs on nine hits, with two walks and three strikeouts. It was an atypical outing for Gallen following a loss, as he had a 3.38 ERA in eight such starts.
“I think the first couple innings he was having trouble finding his rhythm, maybe a little frustrated for different reasons,” said Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo in the postgame breakdown on Dbacks TV. “I thought he did enough to rebound and pitch through five with a pitch count that’s climbing. Credit to Zac, credit to the guys for picking him up.”
Diamondbacks hitters struggled against Jeffrey Springs, who was spotting his fastball around the edges of the zone and using his changeup to finish them off. They didn’t get a runner into scoring position until the fifth inning and only got a runner past first in two of nine innings. It didn’t help they trailed 4-0 before getting their first base hit.
“We knew he was going to fill up the zone and go to work with his changeup,” said Lovullo. “It took us probably one time around to get a feel for it and we started to make better swing decisions the second time around. That’s no excuse, we got to be sharper, we got to be better, and got to be really prepared in their first at-bat.”
Despite the early offensive struggles, the Diamondbacks were able to get pressure on Springs in the fifth. Eugenio Suárez singled with one out, for their second hit of the game. Kevin Newman followed up with another line-drive single to advance Suárez to scoring position. José Herrera capitalized on the chance with a blooper that landed into shallow right to get Arizona on the board.
They had a chance to tack on and get themselves back into the game. Ketel Marte, in his first game back after reaggravating his left ankle injury, got two pitches to hit and fouled them off. Marte drew a walk to load the bases for Jake McCarthy, who lined out to center to end what was Arizona’s only prime scoring opportunity of the day.
Following Gallen’s start, Dylan Floro had a rough sixth inning. After retiring the first two hitters, he gave up a double down the right field line to Yandy DÃaz. Brandon Lowe followed up with a long home run down the line that allowed the Rays to cruise to victory.
The Diamondbacks will look to salvage the series finale. Merrill Kelly (3-0, 2.43 ERA) will start for Arizona, while the Rays have pushed originally scheduled right-hander Taj Bradley back a day and will announce a starter at a later time. First pitch at Tropicana Field will be at 10:40 A.M. MST.
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Michael McDermott covers the Arizona Diamondbacks, Arizona Cardinals, and more for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on X via @MichaelMcDMLB
