PHOENIX — The Arizona Diamondbacks dropped their 10th game of the season in which they scored at least six runs on Friday against the Washington Nationals, 9-7.

No other MLB club has more than five such losses, and the D-backs’ 13-10 record when they score six or more runs is the second worst by win percentage (.565). Only the 4-5 Colorado Rockies trail behind.

Not only that, the Diamondbacks and Rockies are the only teams with a sub-.600 winning percentage when they score at least six runs. The Detroit Tigers are 23-0 (!). The Chicago White Sox are 10-0.

When the D-backs score seven runs or more runs, they own a 9-6 record, which is also only better than the 4-4 Rockies.

Teams that score seven runs should win that game nine times out of 10, and that’s not happening for several “identifiable” reasons.

“We gotta clean up six walks. We gotta clean up extra base runners, plays that weren’t made that went for hits, some plays that went for an error,” manager Torey Lovullo said. “When you’re looking at 10 extra base runners, you’re gonna give up big numbers. You don’t win a lot of baseball games when you give up nine runs.”

Friday’s loss was largely a play of the hits from this frustrating stretch with baffling defensive moments and bullpen struggles that paired with an uncharacteristic start from Merrill Kelly (5 IP, 4 ER).

The offense did nearly all of its damage in the opening three innings and ended up out-hitting the Nationals 12-11 despite the loss.

The D-backs (27-30) have lost three straight games at home to teams below .500 and eight of their last nine games overall. Few teams need May to end more than this one.

“No team that we face is gonna sit here and feel bad for us, period,” Kelly said. “The only thing we can do is keep pressing, keep trying to take each pitch at a time, each at-bat at a time, each ground ball at a time and try to get ourselves out of this by just playing good baseball.

“We’re already not acting like ourselves. As a team, I feel like the more we press and the more we panic, the worse it’s gonna get. The only thing we can do is come in and prepare every day to win that day and just try to do our jobs the best we can.”

What happened in Diamondbacks-Nationals?

The first three innings were a 6-6 slugfest, starting with an avoidable predicament in the top of the first that set an uneven tone.

With two outs, Washington’s Luis Garcia Jr. bounced into a fielder’s choice to shortstop Geraldo Perdomo, but second baseman Ketel Marte dropped the flip to extend the inning. Kelly had thrown 15 pitches to at that point.

Instead, Kelly finished the inning with 33 pitches, and Washington took a 2-0 lead.

The D-backs snatched it right back, as Perdomo put them on the board with an RBI single while starting in the three-hole for the first time. Eugenio Suarez and Pavin Smith also delivered RBI knocks, as Arizona rallied for a 4-2 lead off Nationals starter Jake Irvin.

It didn’t last, however, as the Nationals powered their way ahead in the third inning with four runs. Emerging star outfielder James Wood hit a solo home run the other way, and former Diamondback Josh Bell crushed three-run shot on a 3-1 cookie from Kelly.

The Diamondbacks answered again in the bottom half, as the two sides hit the ping pong ball back and forth.

Smith tied the game with a double to left, and Gabriel Moreno appeared to have hit the go-ahead shot the other way with two outs. Right fielder Daylen Lile, however, leaped at the wall and robbed Moreno to keep the score 6-6.

Center fielder Robert Hassell III previously threw Suarez out at the plate, as the Nationals made plays for their struggling starter to keep the score tight.

Kelly retired the last seven hitters he faced, but having to use 95 pitches through five innings ended his night earlier than normal.

The last time Kelly threw only five innings in a start was on May 2, when he exited due to cramping in Philadelphia. Extending the first inning by nearly 20 pitches proved costly, as it potentially forced the D-backs to use their bullpen an entire inning sooner.

Reliever Juan Morillo had a difficult sixth frame, as he walked the bases loaded with two outs and allowed a Nathaniel Lowe two-run single, which turned out to be the game-winner.

When asked why Morillo stayed in the game after three walks, Lovullo said, “To be honest with you, I’m having a really tough time figuring out who to use in those situations. I’m looking for somebody to jump up and take control of that so I can make easier decisions. I probably could do more. I know it, but I liked the stuff. I wanted to challenge hitters. I felt like if he could put the ball on the plate, we were gonna get some outs and it just didn’t happen.”

Jalen Beeks allowed another run in the seventh, although a poor route from Lourdes Gurriel Jr. in left field on a lead-off ground-rule double did not help his pitcher. It seemed Gurriel may have lost track of the ball, but Lovullo mentioned the play had an 89% catch probability.

An all-too-apt metaphor for this team getting in its own way occurred in the eighth inning.

First baseman Josh Naylor ran into reliever Ryan Thompson while trying to step on the bag, resulting in a ridiculous single. It ultimately did not cost the D-backs, but it was another defensive lapse to throw on the pile.

“Yes, out, 100% out,” Lovullo said of the play at first. “Fly ball to left field? Out. Yes. Those bother me.”

Diamondbacks’ next game

The D-backs will look to stave off another series loss on Saturday with Brandon Pfaadt (3.90 ERA) on the hill. Right-hander Michael Soroka (5.61 ERA) will start for Washington.

First pitch is later than usual with the game airing on FS1.

The game will start at 7:10 p.m. MST on 98.7 and the Arizona Sports app.