D-backs’ Corbin, Lovullo positive about left-hander’s 3rd start of spring in losing effort

GLENDALE, Ariz. — Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Patrick Corbin is still searching for the consistency that made him an All-Star in 2013.

The 27-year-old lost his battle trying to find it in 2016, putting together a 5-13 campaign with a 5.15 ERA that included a move to the bullpen in mid-August. After giving up one earned run in his second and third starts of the season, Corbin allowed one earned run or less in just one start the rest of the year.

Corbin’s spring started cleanly, but in his last two starts, he’s dealt with the same inconsistencies of a year ago. After putting just one runner on base in his first two innings of work against the Cincinnati Reds, Corbin allowed five to the San Diego Padres in his next three innings.

In his third start of spring against the Chicago White Sox on Thursday, he failed to find that form from his first start.

Corbin pitched 3.1 innings, giving up three earned runs on six hits. He struck out four in the 4-2 loss to the White Sox.

Despite the result, Corbin and his manager Torey Lovullo were positive about the pitches he threw and weren’t ready to overreact.

“Felt really good, felt like I got ahead, was aggressive,” Corbin said. “I was pleased with it.”

The White Sox scored a run in each of the first three innings.

With the first two outs of the game recorded in the bottom of the first, Chicago’s Melky Cabrera singled and would later advance to second on a wild pitch. On an 0-2 count, White Sox third baseman Matt Davidson hit an RBI single to bring home Cabrera.

The second run would be quicker.

Corbin’s first pitch to Kevan Smith with no one on base in the second inning was hit over the wall in center field to put the White Sox back in the lead, 2-1. Corbin said afterward that he wasn’t familiar with Smith.

Like his last start, Corbin ran into trouble on his second trip through the batting order.

Peter Bourjos hit a lead-off single and a bunt attempt by Everth Cabrera turned into a base hit.

With one out, Davidson would get the better of Corbin once again, fighting off a pitch on the inside to left field for his second RBI of the day, making it 3-1 White Sox.

Nonetheless, Lovullo shared Corbin’s positive thinking.

“I know that he gave up some runs,” Lovullo said. “I don’t think anything outside of that home run ball was really something that was a big mistake.”

Corbin struck out his only batter in the bottom of the fourth and his day was done.

“I thought I made some pitches. Thought the results could have been better out there, but I felt really good,” Corbin said.

“(He) just got beat in certain situations that led to some runs, but I think overall, Patrick threw the ball very, very well,” Lovullo added.

BASE HITS

— Shortstop Chris Owings continues to hit the ball well in spring training. He smashed a solo home run in the top of the second and nearly had another in the top of the fourth, flying out at the warning track in right field.

“He’s been very consistent with his at-bats,” Lovullo said. “That pop to me is not really a surprise.”

Owings entered the game hitting .333, following up a successful 2016 at the plate when he hit .277 with five home runs and 49 RBI.

— Lovullo announced before the game that outfielder Socrates Brito would likely miss a couple of months following surgery on his dislocated finger.

“It’s gonna be a while,” Lovullo said.

The D-backs were relying on Brito to be a safety net in the outfield, especially for center fielder A.J. Pollock.

“One of our top priorities was to find somebody that could help A.J., give him some time off,” Lovullo said. “(If) something happened, he got nicked up, we could have somebody step in there and be productive. We still have some good candidates but unfortunately losing Socrates is one of those considerations that won’t be around for a while.”

Lovullo said Owings would not take reps in center field at this time despite the middle infielder starting 47 games at the position last season.

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