Pfaadt Falters in Key Test, Slammed by Red Sox

The Rookie right-hander struggled with location mistakes and got hit hard for the third time in five starts

Brandon Pfaadt needed to come up big tonight against the Boson Red Sox to have a chance to keep his rotation spot. Instead he was hammered, giving up five runs in 3 2/3 innings, leading to a 7-2 Diamondbacks loss.  Box Score

Pfaadt was able to get out of the first inning unscathed, despite a two out double from Justin Turner.  A 36 pitch second inning followed  however,  in which he gave up three runs on two doubles and two singles putting the D-backs in an early hole.  In the fourth inning a leadoff single was followed by a 431 foot home run by Enrique Hernandez. Pfaadt was able to record two more outs, gave up another base hit, and his night was done. 

Pfaadt needed a whopping 87 pitches (53 for strikes) to record just 11 outs. He didn't walk a batter, and struck out 4, but continually made location mistakes inside the zone that resulted in a lot of hard contact. Of the eight hits he allowed, six of them had an exit velocity between 97-111 MPH. (Over 95 MPH is considered a hard hit ball).  Speaking to the mixed results, Torey Lovullo did not mince words in how they are evaluating his outing.

"We evaluate wins and losses and how far you got into the game" Lovullo said. "We look at the entire body of work of course, but I feel like this wasn't one of his best outings. I know there was some swings and miss, especially early, but I don't think he made quality adjustments to keep them off-balance, and keep pressing through."

Speaking to Pfaadt after the game, he lamented being unable to attack both sides of the zone, and allowing the Red Sox hitters to get too comfortable, which resulted in the hard contact. "I think because they were so comfortable, we didn't really go command the fastball in. That led them to be super comfortable and hit those pitches that I left in the middle of the plate."

Command was not an issue for Pfaadt last year, and was considered a strength, even early this year in Reno. But addressing the current state of things Pfaadt said "I think that my command is definitely down compared to the usual. Obviously I don't know what that is. I think that's what we're going to focus on and get that back, we'll be all right"

When asked about Pfaadt's immediate future with the club Lovullo would not indicate if Pfaadt is going to be the one optioned out when Zach Davies is activated for tomorrow's start. Lovullo also allowed that moving one of the starters to the bullpen is something they have discussed in their internal meetings. 

The offense was not able to get untracked against Red Sox starter Chris Sale. Their  first hit against him didn't come until there was one out in the bottom of the third by Jose Herrera, and Ketel Marte followed by grounding into a 5-4-3 double to end the inning. The lone run against Sale came in the fourth. Emmanuel Rivera led off with a base hit and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. tripled to right center field past Raimel Tapia to drive in Rivera. That extended his hitting streak to 17 games. 

Unfortunately with nobody out the D-backs were not able to bring in Gurriel, as Christian Walker popped out to first, Evan Longoria struck out, and Corbin Carroll bounced out to second.  Another opportunity to put up a crooked number was missed in the 8th inning. Three straight one-out singles by Herrera, Marte, and Rivera plated a run. But Gurriel grounded out and Walker popped out for the 4th time in the game.  The D-backs were just 1-8 with runners in scoring position as their situational hitting slump for May continued. 

The bullpen managed to throw 5.1 innings allowing just two runs on six hits and two walks, but the D-backs just could not mount any sort of comeback, getting out hit  14-7. They now stand at 29-22 and have lost two in a row. The Dodgers lost, so they still remain 1.5 games back in the NL West. The Red Sox improve to 27-24. 

Game two of the three game series at Chase Field starts tomorrow at 4:15 P.M, , 55 minutes earlier than the usual Saturday start time. Zach Davies, returning from the injured list and making just his 3rd start of the year will get the ball for Arizona. Garrett Whitlock will start for the Red Sox.