Peralta breaks out of 0-for-12 slump with 3 hits

David Peralta broke out of a fourgame, 0-for-12 slump on Monday with three hits, including a two-run home run in the Diamondbacks’ 5-4 win over the Marlins.

Tuesday, he was not in the lineup to start the second game of the Miami series.

Peralta chalked his recent struggles to being just part of the game, and says he’s feeling better at the plate.

“You can do great, you can do good every day. you can get three hits every day but it’s not going to happen,” Peralta said. “You have to be patient, you have to keep trusting the process, you have to work every day and it’s going to come. I didn’t do anything in St. Louis but (Monday) was a good day for me, so I’ve just got to keep working.”

Peralta raised his batting average from .197 to .227 with his first three-hit game of the season.

Diamondbacks hitting coach Joe Mather said he and Peralta talked a lot in the days leading to Monday’s breakout.

“Most of it is listening, for me. Listening for words that I think for me, resonate as his hitting coach. Just trying top push what worked in the past,” Mather said.

Mather said Peralta has to trust himself and know that his swing is there.

Short hops

● The Diamondbacks made sure they cleared everything with Major League Baseball to allow closer Mark Melancon to be on the field for long toss and throwing pitches in the loanDepot Park visiting bullpen late Monday night, well after the game when no one else was around.

Melancon has been on the injured list due to a positive COVID-19 test since last Friday.

Melancon wasn’t in the clubhouse Tuesday in Miami and has not returned to the active roster, but has been asymptomatic, Lovullo said.

“His status is kind of up in in the air right now,” manager Torey Lovullo said, adding that Melancon needed another negative COVID test to be activated.

● Veteran broadcaster Rich Waltz is the voice fans watching the Diamondbacks on TV have been hearing for the last several days, from games in St. Louis to Miami. Waltz, whose been the television voice of the Seattle Mariners, Marlins and Los Angeles Angels and also has also done games for MLB Network, got the call to hit the road with the Diamondbacks and Bally Sports Arizona for the current trip after regular TV announcers Steve Berthiaume and Bob Brenly had to stay home following positive COVID-19 tests.

● Former Diamondback Gregor Blanco was on the field before Tuesday’s game, chatting with former San Francisco Giants teammate Madison Bumgarner, now a Diamondbacks pitcher, and talking hitting with several other Diamondbacks.

Those included David Peralta, Sergio Alcántara, Ketel Marte and Christian Walker.

Blanco, always highly regarded for his friendliness during his playing days, joined the MLB commissioner’s office as a senior directors in baseball operations a couple of years back after his playing days ended in 2018.