Diamondbacks disappoint by following historic comeback with loss to struggling Athletics

PHOENIX — The Arizona Diamondbacks entered Monday coming off an exhilarating seven-run comeback to snatch a series win over the St. Louis Cardinals, but that energy and excitement did not carry over into a matchup with the Athletics.

The Diamondbacks scored two total runs off a starter with a 6.08 ERA (Jeffrey Springs) and a bullpen with the highest ERA in MLB (5.51), and a rare lapse from Kevin Ginkel made the difference in a 5-2 Arizona loss.

A challenge of Monday’s game was going to be bridging the gap between starter Mitch Bratt’s outing and the later innings, considering Bratt is on a pitch count and Arizona’s bullpen had a lot of work to do over the weekend. With their injuries, the Diamondbacks have had to piece together a couple spots in the rotation with rookies.

Bratt and Monday call-up Juan Burgos pushed through six innings of work with two earned runs despite facing some sticky situations. Bratt allowed eight hits in 4.2 innings (84 pitches) but managed to escape with only solo home runs from Joshua Kuroda-Grauer and Jacob Wilson as the damage done.

He just had no run support from an offense that exploded for eight runs from the sixth inning-on during Sunday’s comeback.

“It’s just a very complicated game plan and it worked out OK, minus the situation with Ginkel, but overall it was a frustrating day,” manager Torey Lovullo said. “I feel like we could have done much more offensively, but can’t do anything about it now. Got to turn the page.”

What happened to the Diamondbacks’ offense?

Corbin Carroll was out of the lineup with a hyperextended right elbow, but the Diamondbacks as a whole have hit lefties well and faced one who had allowed six runs each in four of his last five starts. Springs also leads MLB in home runs allowed, a rough season for a veteran arm.

Arizona, meanwhile, entered Monday leading MLB with a .270 batting average against lefties with the third-highest slugging percentage at .437.

But the D-backs did not string at-bats together until the sixth inning, when Ketel Marte hit a game-tying two-run home run, his first long ball of July. Arizona did not have multiple base runners in any inning other than the sixth and the ninth. The lineup drew two walks.

The tying run came to the plate with two outs in the ninth inning, an opportunity for Ryan Waldschmidt to have a moment in his up-and-down rookie season, but he struck out looking after a correct ABS challenge from the A’s.

Ginkel appeared to have gotten through his seventh inning unscathed, but the Athletics successfully challenged the third out, a play at first base. Tommy White hit a comebacker off Ginkel, and Ginkel picked it up and fired to first base. The overturned call loaded the bases for pinch hitter Jeff McNeil, who poked a two-run single. A Ginkel wild pitch later, and Arizona was down by three.

“Marte clubs that big two-run home run, then we just couldn’t capitalize once there was a ton of energy inside of the building and that’s the name of the game,” Lovullo said. “The tide totally swayed when they got the base hit from McNeil. I think we had a tough time absorbing that.”

What is tough about this loss is the uncertainty of the rest of the series.

The D-backs don’t have a listed started for Tuesday, but Kohl Drake was in the clubhouse on Monday and appears likely to make his MLB debut. The A’s will start Gage Jump, their most effective starter this year, in the finale on Wednesday.

This is an A’s team that lost 11 of 12 games entering this series, a matchup the D-backs had to take advantage of in the midst of a tight race for the third National League Wild Card spot and with the trade deadline on Aug. 3.

Losing this series would be a step back after the progress Arizona built over its previous two sets.

The offense will be counted on to give Drake better support on Tuesday against right-handed pitcher Jack Perkins, who owns a 6.87 ERA.

The positive for the Diamondbacks (51-49) on Monday was that it was a lousy day for their NL Wild Card competition. The Miami Marlins, Pittsburgh Pirates and Cardinals each lost, leaving Arizona just a half-game back.

Monday attendance

19,121

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