D-Backs’ bullpen holds off Rockies

Left-hander Caleb Smith struck out the side on Thursday night, eliciting nine swings and misses on 12 pitches in the seventh inning. In his mind, the performance further strengthened his case to be reinserted into the Diamondbacks’ rotation. His manager seemed to view it as proof that Smith might have found a home in the bullpen.

“I’m trying to get back to the rotation as fast as possible,” Smith said after the Diamondbacks outlasted the Colorado Rockies, 5-3, at Chase Field. “If it doesn’t happen, it doesn’t happen. I’m here for what’s best for the team. So anything they want me to do, I’ll do. And I’ll do it with a smile — well, maybe not a smile on my face — but I’ll do it to the best of my ability and I won’t complain about it.”

Smith’s outing was the highlight of a dominant evening from the Diamondbacks bullpen, which tossed five scoreless innings following another abbreviated start from right-hander Luke Weaver. The Diamondbacks got a home run from Josh Rojas, three hits from David Peralta and a key, goahead triple from Eduardo Escobar to help them win for the eighth time in 10 games.

Smith faced three batters and primarily attacked each with a different pitch. He got three swings and misses on sliders to Dom Nunez, three on change-ups to Josh Fuentes and three on curveballs to Raimel Tapia.

In eight appearances out of the bullpen, Smith has given up just one run in 12 2/3 innings, walking five and striking out 16. He has handled both lefties (3 for 16) and righties (3 for 26) effectively.

“He deserves a lot of credit,” Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said. “He’s out there having some fun and getting some big outs for us — some much-needed outs. He made pitches and handed it over to the next guy.”

Smith did not pitch well in spring training, nor did he throw well in his first — and only — start of the season, a three-inning outing against the San Diego Padres in the Diamondbacks’ third game of the season.