Ray thankful fan wasn’t hurt after being hit by throw

Robbie Ray was warming up in left field as he usually does before every start when he accidentally overthrew a ball into the stands.

The ball flew past catcher John Ryan Murphy’s glove and hit a young fan in the head, Ray said after Sunday’s game at Chase Field.

Before he answered any questions from the gathered media, Ray noted that he was thankful that the child shook off the incident.

“He took it like a warrior and shrugged it off,” Ray said, estimating that the child was approximately four or five years old. “If he wouldn’t have been all right, I don’t know how I would’ve gone out there and pitched today so big thanks to him.”

Murphy said that there is always a chance that a ball can end up in the stands. Ray said he was about 140 to 160 feet away and was long-tossing as part of his warm-up routine.

“I just released the ball too early and it just went over John Ryan’s glove and it's an unfortunate thing but the kid is okay so that’s all that matters,” Ray said.

Murphy added: “(Ray) was pretty far out there and there was nothing I could, he just sailed it and it, unfortunately, hit the kid in the head. Luckily he was all right.”

Murphy and Ray went over to make sure the child was not hurt too badly and his parents told them he was doing fine.

“I honestly didn’t even see the kid cry,” Murphy said. “When I ended up going over to him, he had a big knot on his head and he was smiling and gave me a high-five.”

Both players signed a bat and ball for him, but, Murphy said, “Obviously, that doesn’t make up for him but it could’ve been a lot worse.”

After the game, it was clear that Ray was shaken by the incident, partly due to the fact he is the father to two children.

“If he had to go out of the stadium (for treatment) it definitely would’ve been tough (for me to pitch),” Ray said. “That’s why him staying there and watching the game was big for me from a mental standpoint.”

Ray was able to compose himself and pitch 5 1/3 innings, allowing two earned runs and striking out eight batters. Manager Torey Lovullo was satisfied with Ray’s performance outside of the second inning where his command faltered slightly.

“He started to control his innings and drive his pitches into the zone,” Lovullo said .

Miller working back

Right-hander Shelby Miller said that when he left his start in Colorado on July 11, he didn’t expect his elbow issue to wind up costing him several months. But with his transfer to the 60-day disabled list last week, the soonest he can return is Sept. 10.

“I think the 60-day thing is more being extra careful with it,” Miller said. “The only time I really feel anything is when I throw my curveball. The fastball and everything is fine, but when I grip the curveball and have a completely different arm path, I kind of feel a little soreness when I throw that. That’s what we’re trying to get out of there.”

Miller said the plan is for him to ease his way back into throwing and to ultimately return to action in a bullpen role.

He made five relief appearances as a September call-up in 2012 but has come out of the bullpen just once in the past six seasons.

“Right now,” he said, “the goal is to just get to feeling 100 percent, getting any kind of soreness that I have in there out of there, then go from there.”

Injury updates

Lovullo said Deven Marrero (strained left oblique) played a whole game at second base for Triple-A Reno on Saturday night. He plans to play on Sunday night, as well, but at third base. In six rehab games between rookie-level AZL Diamondbacks and Reno, Marrero has gone 6-for-18 (.333) with a double, three RBIs and three walks.

Jarrod Dyson continued his agility work to work the lower half of his body but has not done any work on the bases or running on the field. Lovullo said that he has seen Dyson hit and he’s “swinging the bat very, very well.”