PHOENIX — The Arizona Diamondbacks didn’t appear to have enough juice for a perfect 6-0 homestand after the dramatics of Saturday’s walk-off win, as they dropped Sunday’s finale to the San Diego Padres on Father’s Day, 8-2.
Arizona starter Merrill Kelly and San Diego’s Nick Pivetta had a pitcher’s duel going through three innings before the Padres broke out with three runs in the fourth and another in the fifth.
The D-backs (36-35) finished with three hits as a team, as Corbin Carroll, Ketel Marte and Geraldo Perdomo went 0-for-12 at the top of the order with seven strikeouts.
It was an underwhelming finish to a stretch that vaulted the Diamondbacks back into the thick of the postseason race at the 70-game mark.
They were six games back of a Wild Card spot at 31-34 when the homestand started and are now 3.5 games back.
“I was actually looking up at the scoreboard either yesterday or the day before looking at the standings, looking at the records and we’re one good run away from being right in the mix of it,” Kelly said.
“We got a road trip coming up that I think we can hopefully capitalize on, win some games. Good homestand. We would’ve liked to have won today … Still a series win against a division team, so hopefully we can continue that momentum.”
Kelly, who had not allowed a run over his previous two starts, finished with four earned runs through five frames. He needed only 39 pitches to get through three innings but labored for a 32-pitch fourth inning. Jake Cronenworth hitting a two-run home run on the 10th pitch of an at-bat was a major momentum swinger.
Kelly said Sunday was his worst command in a while. He did not get much time between innings to recuperate.
Pivetta used 44 pitches to get through four perfect innings to start the game. He cruised to seven innings pitched with two earned runs on two hits, one of which was an Eugenio Suarez two-run shot in the fifth.
Suarez has 21 home runs this year, leading the team.
“It’s a tough way to end a homestand,” manager Torey Lovullo said. “You’re on a nice little run and their pitcher comes out and throws a really good game against us. … I’m not gonna let that distract from the success we’ve been having over the past week.”
Diamondbacks hitting the road
Arizona’s next nine games are on the road, a trip that provides opportunities against a couple last-place clubs.
It starts with three games at the Toronto Blue Jays (38-33), who were swept over the weekend by Philadelphia.
The D-backs then head to Colorado for three games at the 14-57 Rockies before traveling to Chicago for a series against the 23-49 White Sox. They return home on June 27 for a series against the 28-41 Miami Marlins.
It is a great time to stay hot, although stumbling over the next 12 games could put the team in a tough spot after the easiest stretch on the schedule. The D-backs are 14-10 against teams below .500 this year. It’s time to improve that record.
Monday is an off day for the team before hitting the field at Rogers Centre on Tuesday at 4:07 p.m. MST.
