D-backs Stunned in Heartbreaking Extra Inning Loss

Poor defense and relief work in the late innings waste another good outing from a starter

The Diamondbacks lost their second straight game in extra innings as they blew a 5-2 lead to eventually lose 6-5 in 10 innings to the Braves. Their record falls to 4-4 and the Braves improve to 4-2.

The game started off so promising. Ketel Marte led of the game with a home run against Spencer Strider for a quick strike one run lead. The D-backs weren't done however as a couple of bloop singles and a two-run double from Eugenio Suárez followed, staking Tommy Henry to a 3-0 lead.

Henry gave one back in the bottom of the first on a couple of singles and a hit by pitch. The Braves got one more off him in the 3rd on a Matt Olson home run to draw within 3-2. The D-backs answered right back with two more runs in the 4th however. Suárez and Jace Peterson singled, and Jake McCarthy doubled to right field driving in Suárez. Walks to Corbin Carroll and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. forced in Peterson to make it 5-2

That inning ended Strider's night, as the D-backs ran his pitch count up to 88. Henry meanwhile gutted his way out of a bases loaded jam in the 4th. He then got out of a first and second two-out jam in the fifth by striking out Michael Harris II on his 102nd pitch. By wiggling off the hook both times, Henry preserved his pitching line with just the two runs allowed through five innings. He gave up six hits, walked two, but struck out five.

The Braves bullpen completely shut down the D-backs for the rest of the game however, setting up the Braves big comeback. Ryan Thompson and Joe Mantiply combined to record seven outs for the D-backs without giving up any runs. But Miguel Castro gave up two doubles in the 8th to allow the Braves to draw within 5-3.

The ninth inning was one to forget. With closer Kevin Ginkel on the mound Rookie Blaze Alexander had come on for Jace Peterson at short. Austin Riley hit a chopper over the mound and Alexander tried to cut the ball off in front of the second base bag, but muffed the play for an E-6. Matt Olson followed with a deep double to the left center gap to drive in Riley.

One out later, defensive disaster struck again. With the infield in pinch hitter Jared Kelenic lifted a popup to shallow left field. Out raced Alexander and in ran Gurriel. As the two almost collided, Alexander veered back towards the ball and got his glove on it just as Gurriel slid under him . The ball dropped onto the outfield grass and Olson came around to score the tying run.

The D-backs were not able to advance the Ghost runner beyond second base in the top of the 10th. as Suárez and Alexander both struck out and Jake McCarthy hit into a fielder's choice. On came Scott McGough to pitch the 10th, and the Braves wasted no time walking him off as Travis d'Arnaud hit a double over Gurriel's head to the wall to drive in Orlando Arcia.

Torey Lovullo addressed the defensive miscues in the 9th. "Blaze is a young player, he's a very good player, there's a lot of learning that he has to do........the charging play to start the ninth wasn't ideal, he probably played it wrong with his footwork and the angle of his body."

Lovullo seemed to intimate that Gurriel backed off due to the way Alexander was charging after the ball. "It was in the air a long time, Blaze was charging after it, Gurriel might have seen how aggressive Blaze was coming to that ball, the last thing I looked at was Blaze redirecting trying to get in line with the ball and might have run past it. I'm not sure. "

Game two of the series is Saturday night. Brandon Pfaadt will face lefty Max Fried. Game time is 4:20 P.M. MST