PHOENIX — The Arizona Diamondbacks never quite overcame an ugly four-run first inning from the San Diego Padres, as they dropped their final series opener of the regular season 5-3 on Friday.
With the loss, the D-backs no longer control their own destiny in the NL Wild Card race, needing some help from around the league to play October baseball.
The Diamondbacks (88-72) are in a virtual tie with the New York Mets (87-71) and Atlanta Braves (87-71) but trail in percentage points and without either tiebreaker. The D-backs have two games remaining, while the NL East rivals have four, including a doubleheader on Monday.
“We couldn’t close up that early deficit, the first inning I think took a little bit of energy out of us,” manager Torey Lovullo said.
“We’re going to be ready to go tomorrow. We know what we’re fighting for. A lot of people are asking me questions about the stability of our team. Are we okay? We’re great. We’re fine when it comes to prepping and expecting to go out and have good things happen. … We didn’t get the victory today. We sure as hell are gonna do all we can to get one tomorrow.”
The earliest Arizona can clinch is now Sunday, which would require two wins to close the regular season and at least one Mets loss to the Milwaukee Brewers or one Braves loss to the Kansas City Royals. The Mets fell to Milwaukee 8-4 on Friday, while the Braves bested the Kansas City Royals — who clinched a postseason berth due to the Minnesota Twins losing — 3-0.
The Padres, meanwhile, locked up the top Wild Card spot and no longer have anything to gain from this series at Chase Field other than potentially eliminating a division foe.
“I feel like we’re confident,” reliever Kevin Ginkel said. “I feel like this team is a playoff-caliber team. We’ve shown it all year. Obviously, it’s coming down to the last couple of games here, and we’re going to need some help, but I feel like if we keep doing our job and keep it close, we’re going to have a chance.”
Diamondbacks fall behind
D-backs starter Merrill Kelly threw 31 pitches during a first inning in which he did not receive help from his defense.
The game started with a Luis Arraez double on a high fly ball to right-center field. Arizona sold out for offense in the lineup, starting Pavin Smith in right, moving Corbin Carroll to center and leaving Jake McCarthy on the bench. Smith could not run the fly ball down (Arraez hit a very similar ball for an RBI triple later in the fourth inning).
Arraez later scored on Manny Machado’s sharp one-hopper to second baseman Ketel Marte’s glove side, which he whiffed at. There was a chance to potentially turn two and end the inning unscathed.
“Not an easy play, those types of grounders are kind of uncomfortable. I thought I could make a swipe at it, but I wasn’t able to make the play,” Marte said via Spanish interpreter Alex Arpiza. “The hit was to the glove side, it wasn’t straight down the middle, if it was down the middle then I play it off a hop and off me, but it was to the side.”
D-backs manager Torey Lovullo said Ketel Marte was going for the “kill shot” on the ball that got by the second baseman in a four-run Padres first inning. pic.twitter.com/IjWxNkASd2
— Arizona Sports (@AZSports) September 28, 2024
After a Jackson Merrill single, Lovullo went out to the mound to check in on his players’ focus after a couple plays got away.
“I just told them, ‘Lock in. Let’s go, lock it in,’” Lovullo said. “I saw a couple things that told me we weren’t absolutely 100% engaged, and I just wanted to make sure we were. And they said they were. I checked on every one, looked them all in the eye and they said they were ready to go.”
Xander Bogaerts hit what looked like a routine double-play ball out of the mound visit, but Marte had trouble getting a grip on the turn and sailed his throw out of play. Another run scored, and former Diamondback David Peralta piled on with an RBI single.
Nine batters came to the plate in what is typically a scoreless inning for this typically excellent Diamondbacks defense.
“That’s just part of the game,” Kelly said. “That’s my job. Got to pick up your teammates. Offense and defense got to pick up the pitching and the pitching got to pick up the offense and defense.”
Four in the first 🔥 pic.twitter.com/qqYe3TtOQ7
— San Diego Padres (@Padres) September 28, 2024
Day of almosts for Diamondbacks
Arizona cut the deficit in half right away, as Corbin Carroll hit a home run off San Diego’s Yu Darvish, and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. skied a sacrifice fly that just missed getting over the fence to tie the game.
The D-backs put up an offensive performance of near-misses all night, from an Eugenio Suarez liner just left of the foul pole in the second inning, a 398-foot fly out to center from Smith and a 401-foot Marte shot tracked down by Merrill in center field.
The Diamondbacks had the game-tying or go-ahead run at the plate in seven of nine innings. Ultimately, the D-backs fell short with runners on base, finishing 1-for-7.
Merrill Kelly better than the statline
Kelly was effective throughout the rest of his outing, stacking up 5.2 innings with one earned run after the four in the opening frame. He was charged with all four early runs despite the defensive lapses behind him. Lovullo said Kelly deserved a better fate.
“I think throughout a course of the game, there’s a couple pitches I probably like back and redo, but for the most part, I felt like I had some pretty good stuff,” Kelly said. “Location was good, changeup was really good tonight.”
Plus, he did not have any cramping issues pop up, which he called a blessing.
Arizona’s bullpen — Joe Mantiply, Ryan Thompson, A.J. Puk and Ginkel — threw 3.1 scoreless innings to keep the game close.
Diamondbacks’ next game
Eduardo Rodriguez will start for the D-backs on Saturday. San Diego has not named its starter.
First pitch is at 5:10 p.m. on 98.7 and the Arizona Sports app.
