Diamondbacks blow early lead vs. Giants in battle of teams in Wild Card hunt

The Arizona Diamondbacks and San Francisco Giants found themselves in the same position entering Monday’s series opener at Oracle Park: clubs that sold at the trade deadline and have caught a tailwind to keep their playoff hopes alive into September.

Arizona was 21-14 since Aug. 1, while San Francisco earned an 11-3 record in its last 14 games. Monday provided an opportunity to make up ground, as the New York Mets (third National League Wild Card team) lost their third straight game.

The Giants took advantage with an 11-5 comeback victory, as the Diamondbacks fumbled their second straight game despite taking an early lead.

San Francisco moved to three games back from New York (really, four games due to tiebreakers), while the D-backs remained 4.5 games back.

Arizona could have been 2.5 games back had it held onto its leads over the past two games. Instead, it fell below .500 at 72-73.

Diamondbacks build early lead

The D-backs got the hard part done early by tagging Giants ace Logan Webb with three runs (none earned) in the second inning on a Jake McCarthy triple. They responded to a Jung-Hoo Lee two-run shot off Nabil Crismatt with an RBI single from Blaze Alexander, taking a 4-2 lead in the third.

“You expect that to hold up,” manager Torey Lovullo told reporters postgame.

Crismatt did not continue his Cinderella run of excellence (2.14 ERA in 21 innings entering Monday), however. After a lead-off walk, Dom Smith smacked a game-tying, two-run home run in the bottom of the third. Crismatt only got through four innings, and Arizona’s streak of five straight quality starts ended.

Similar to Arizona’s 7-4 loss to Boston on Sunday, there was one inning that just snowballed.

Disaster 6th inning

The bottom of the sixth started with an error from shortstop Geraldo Perdomo, whose low throw was not picked by fill-in first baseman Ildemaro Vargas. Arizona placed Tyler Locklear on the injured list with left elbow inflammation pregame. Brandyn Garcia walked the next hitter, and Lee reached on a bunt to load the bases.

Arizona moved to reliever Anthony DeSclafani in his first appearance since coming back from a thumb injury, and the Giants crushed him. Christian Koss’ two-run double and Heliot Ramos’ two-run home run were the gut punches. Matt Chapman and Patrick Bailey homered off DeSclafani in the later innings.

San Francisco out-homered Arizona 5-1, as Gabriel Moreno provided the lone long ball for the D-backs.

For the second straight day, the Diamondbacks did not lose ground on New York but saw the runway get shorter. There are only 17 games remaining.

Up next for Diamondbacks

The Diamondbacks and Giants play each other five more times in the next week-and-a-half, a stretch compared to the NBA’s play-in tournament on Monday’s FS1 broadcast.

Arizona will need Zac Gallen (4.77 ERA) to play the role of stopper on Tuesday, and he will match up with Giants left-hander Robbie Ray (3.31 ERA).

First pitch is at 6:45 p.m. MST on 98.7 and the Arizona Sports app. 

Updated Wild Card standings

WC1: Chicago Cubs — 81-63
WC2: San Diego Padres–  79-65
WC3: New York Mets — 76-68

San Francisco Giants — 73-71 (3.0 games back)
Cincinnati Reds — 72-72 (4.0 games back)
Arizona Diamondbacks — 72-73 (4.5 games back)
St. Louis Cardinals — 72-73 (4.5 games back)

Related

Diamondbacks place Tyler Locklear on injured list, recall Tim TawaIf the Diamondbacks push for a Wild Card spot, the tiebreakers could be chaoticDiamondbacks wear cleats designed by kids from Phoenix Children's for cancer awarenessWild Card standings: D-backs jockeying for position with Padres, MarlinsDiamondbacks piggyback Zac Gallen and Michael Soroka, but offense falls flat again vs. RoyalsDiamondbacks-Royals series finale delayed by weather