Diamondbacks can’t complete sweep of Braves, Nolan Arenado leaves game with trunk discomfort

The Arizona Diamondbacks couldn’t complete the sweep in Atlanta for a second consecutive season Sunday, as an eighth-inning Matt Olson three-run home run was the difference in the D-backs’ 5-3 loss.

The Braves took two different one-run leads through the first six innings that were answered by Gabriel Moreno and Ildemaro Vargas solo home runs.

Then Olson delivered the big blow on a 3-0 count with two outs in the seventh inning off Brandyn Garcia.

The D-backs brought the tying run to the plate in the ninth inning after Ketel Marte and Max Kepler reached base to begin the inning, but Arizona could only muster one run out of it as the next three batters hit into outs.

Michael Soroka delivered another strong start in his second start back from injury, going 5.2 innings with two runs allowed. He worked around the traffic of six hits. However, Braves starter Bryce Elder outdueled him on the mound, delivering six innings of one-run baseball.

In addition to missing out on a sweep of the second-best team in the National League, Arizona saw Nolan Arenado leave Sunday’s game as well.

Arenado left in the fourth inning due to left trunk discomfort, according to the team. Trunk discomfort is described as pain or tightness in your chest, back, abdomen or sides.

“I am worried,” Arenado said. “I’ve never had that before, so I don’t know what it is.”

Arenado said he initially felt the pain while bending over in the batter’s box and it felt worse after he swung. He slowed up noticeably while running to first and quickly decided to leave the game.

“I felt a little bit of pain in my intercostal area,” he said in the clubhouse afterward, pointing toward his left rib cage. “I don’t know. It just didn’t feel right. I haven’t really felt that before, so I had to get get taken out of the game.”

The third baseman grounded out in the top of the inning before Ildemaro Vargas replaced him at third base in the bottom of the inning.

Arenado was 0-for-2 on the day after delivering two home runs in Saturday’s 10-3 win.

What’s next for the Diamondbacks?

Arizona will finish its two-city road trip in Boston against a Red Sox team that had been the hottest team in MLB since late June until six losses in seven games last week.

The D-backs have Mitch Bratt (1-1, 3.74 ERA) slated to start, and the Red Sox will send out Alec Gamboa (1.79 ERA across 17 innings in nine games) as an opener in a matchup of lefty starters.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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