Bullpen’s failure overshadows Corbin’s strong outing

When Patrick Corbin left the game after pitching seven innings, the Arizona Diamondbacks were leading 3-0 and it looked like they on their way to a three-game sweep of the Atlanta Braves.

Then in the bottom of the eighth inning with Corbin out and Andrew Chafin on the mound, the Braves were able to score three runs to tie it at 3-3 thanks to a Tyler Flowers RBI single that cut the lead to 3-2. Jake Barrett came in for relief of Chafin and was promptly greeted by Jeff Francoeur who doubled to score Flowers and tie the game.

While the bullpen gave up Corbin’s shutout, it was a strong outing for the 26-year-old.

Corbin gave up five hits in seven innings while striking out five to lower his ERA to 4.12 on the season. He also helped his own cause in the fifth with an RBI triple to score Chris Owings to give the Diamondbacks an early 1-0 lead.

The D-backs would add two more runs on Chris Herrmann’s third home run of the year in the seventh and Jake Lamb’s RBI single in the eighth.

At the time, it appeared to be all the run support Corbin would need to get the win. The left-hander was on a roll early, retiring the first six of seven hitters he faced.

In the third inning, he pitched himself out of a jam when the Braves were able to load the bases with two outs. Corbin was able to get Flowers to fly out to right field to end the threat.

From there Corbin cruised — retiring the next 11 of 14 hitters he faced. The Braves threatened once more in the fifth by getting runners into scoring position before Corbin struck out Ender Inciarte to end the inning.

After Francoeur’s double tied it in the eighth, the game went into extra innings. Herrmann would hit his second home run in the top of the 11th inning to give the D-backs the lead and Brad Ziegler came in in the bottom half of the inning to earn his seventh save of the season.