D-Backs continue their skid on the road
A bad road trip got worse on Saturday evening for the Diamondbacks. The possibility exists — a distinct possibility, even — that it has not yet reached its nadir.
The Diamondbacks fell, 4-2, at Citi Field, losing to a New York Mets team that deployed a parade of relievers across nine innings. The Diamondbacks created scoring opportunities. They could not deliver on them. It is a theme that has grown stale over the past week.
At 0-5 through five games on this trip, the Diamondbacks will have their work cut out for them in Sunday’s fi
nale, in which Mets right-hander Jacob deGrom — who currently holds the title of “Best Pitcher in Baseball” — is set to start.
The loss was the Diamondbacks’ ninth in a row at Citi Field. They have not won there since August 24, 2017.
For the second night in a row, the Diamondbacks were held without an extrabase hit. They collected eight singles, drew two walks and were hit by a pitch. They also reached base twice more via error. They had plenty of chances, but they finished 3 for 10 with runners in scoring position, with only one of those hits actually producing a run.
“We couldn’t get that big slug,” Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said. “To me, that was the difference in the game.”
Said right fielder Josh Rojas: “We’ve been trying to put things together, just a little too spaced out you could say. We’re getting the guys on, but just the timely hits haven’t fallen for us like they were in the past.
“I think we’re still putting together good at-bats,” Rojas continued. “We’re still battling at the plate. We’re not giving away at-bats. Every out we’re making it tough on their pitching. I think it’s only a matter of time until those big hits that we need to pile it on will start dropping again.”
The Mets scored three times off Diamondbacks right-hander Merrill Kelly. Two came in the third, an inning in which Kelly walked the leadoff batter, opposing pitcher Joey Lucchesi, then grooved a fastball that Jeff McNeil drove out to right field. Kelly walked five in 5 2/3 innings.
The Mets added another later that inning when Carson Kelly’s throw to second on a stolen-base attempt struck a sliding Francisco Lindor in the foot and caromed into a vacated shallow left-center field. Lindor popped up, raced around third and scored without a play.
Asked about the play, Lovullo was clearly bothered his outfielders — namely left fielder David Peralta — had not done more to back up, but he chose his words carefully, saying he had not had time to fully review the play.
“I think at that point you’re OK to give up 90 extra feet,” Lovullo said. “One hundred eighty feet is a little bit frustrating.”
deGrom will bring into his start numbers that look more fitting for a video game: In 35 innings, he has allowed two earned runs (0.51 ERA) on 16 hits and four walks. He has 59 strikeouts, an average of 15.2 per nine innings.
He missed his last start due to right lat inflammation, creating the possibility that he will be rusty. But anything close to vintage deGrom figures to be a tall task for the struggling Diamondbacks’ offense, which has just five extra-base hits and is just 6 for 54 with men in scoring position on this road trip.
“I don’t know about the other guys, but I’m excited,” Rojas said. “I like facing guys that have that status. They’re supposed to be the best in the game. His numbers right now are unreal and we’ve all seen what he’s been doing this year.
“I think when you play this game your goal is to take down the guy who is on top. I think if you don’t have that mentality, you don’t make it this far.”