The Arizona Diamondbacks were 16 games above .500 when they defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers on July 1.
A downhill plummet began and things got worse following the All-Star break. Yet the Diamondbacks, now just seven games above .500, are feeling hopeful entering Sunday’s series finale against the Seattle Mariners at Phoenix.
The Mariners won the opener of the three-game set 5-2 on Friday before Arizona recovered from a three-run deficit to post a 4-3 victory on Saturday.
That triumph lifted the Diamondbacks to 4-10 since the All-Star break and was just the club’s sixth win in the past 21 games.
It also was highly pleasing to manager Torey Lovullo.
All-Star Corbin Carroll drew a leadoff walk in the eighth inning and used his speed to rattle Seattle reliever Andres Munoz. Carroll moved to second on a balk and then he stole third without a throw for his 32nd steal of the season.
One out later, fellow rookie Dominic Canzone hit a bouncing single up the middle to score Carroll.
“It’s just a classic case of being prepped and being ready,” Lovullo said of Carroll. “He’s capable of doing that against any pitcher at any time. It was the difference in the game.”
Arizona’s shaky bullpen seemed in good hands when right-hander Kevin Ginkel — who has allowed one run over his past 15 appearances — struck out three of four batters to leave the Diamondbacks two outs from a victory.
But Ginkel was pulled and left-hander Andrew Chafin gave up a triple and issued a walk among three batters faced. Right-hander Scott McGough entered and won an eight-pitch duel with Mariners star Julio Rodriguez with a game-ending strikeout.
“I’m trying to get everybody involved and get people into the game and get them on a roll,” Lovullo said. “That’s my overall mindset.
“I don’t want to give people the feeling that I’m not using them in the situations that could potentially get them on a roll — and Ginkel is on a roll.”
Seattle used two sacrifice flies and Tom Murphy’s solo homer to take a 3-0 lead.
But clutch hitting was a problem as the Mariners were hitless in 11 at-bats with runners in scoring position.
“We had been doing much better recently getting those hits and getting guys in,” Seattle manager Scott Servais said. “… We had chances to put more than three runs up there and didn’t get it done.”
The loss was just the third in the past nine games for the Mariners. It hurt with Tuesday’s trading deadline looming.
“Everyone cares,” Seattle shortstop J.P. Crawford said. “We’re seeing the bigger picture. We’re trying to go for the playoffs so every game matters at this point.”
Right-handers Luis Castillo (6-7, 3.02 ERA) of the Mariners and Merrill Kelly (9-4, 3.12) of the Diamondbacks will battle Sunday.
Castillo, a three-time All-Star, is winless in his past three starts despite 25 strikeouts in 18 innings. He lost to the Detroit Tigers on July 14 and received two straight no-decisions against the Minnesota Twins.
On Monday, Castillo gave up two runs and four hits in seven innings. He struck out nine and walked two.
Castillo, 30, is 2-4 with a 4.02 ERA in eight starts against Seattle. Those outings came when he was with the Cincinnati Reds.
Nick Ahmed (0-for-11), Christian Walker (1-for-9) and Ketel Marte (3-for-17) have all struggled against Castillo. Geraldo Perdomo (1-for-3) has a homer.
Kelly returned from a blood clot in his right calf to pitch six solid innings in a no-decision against the St. Louis Cardinals on Tuesday. He gave up one run and four hits.
It was Kelly’s first outing since June 24.
Kelly, 34, has never faced the Mariners. Teoscar Hernandez (1-for-3) has a homer against Kelly.
–Field Level Media
