Diamondbacks offense goes missing in loss to Giants

PHOENIX – The Arizona Diamondbacks may have left their bats – and possibly their chances of making the playoffs – in Colorado as they were unable to generate any offense in a 7-0 loss to the San Francisco Giants at Chase Field on Thursday.

It was a rocky start for pitcher Alex Young, who has been outstanding as a starter for the D-backs this season since being called up. He has only given up two-plus earned runs in two of his eight starts on the big-league club and had a 3.32 ERA entering the game.

But the Giants attacked early, loading the bases on a single, a dribbler down the line that never went foul, and a walk with no outs to kick things off. Young was able to limit the damage in the inning to a two-RBI single off the bat of Evan Longoria, but the D-backs were behind from the get-go.

Giants outfielder Austin Slater did his best to further the discontent in the inning with two spectacular plays in right field that robbed both Josh Rojas and Eduardo Escobar of hits.

Unfortunately for the D-backs, those hits may have been their best opportunity to get the offense moving. Arizona was held hitless through the first three innings and was able to only get three hits against Giants starter Dereck Rodriguez in seven innings of work with no hits against the bullpen.

In fact, the D-backs didn’t have a base runner in scoring position the entire game, which left manager Torey Lovullo a little speechless after the game.

“Sometimes things happen on a baseball field that leave you scratching your head,” he surmised. “I feel like we got flattened in the first inning, and I don’t want to take anything away from the game planning that the Giants did, but we just didn’t play up to our capabilities today.”

Young settled in after the first inning and only gave up a pair of singles until the fifth. With one out, Slater started the scoring in the inning with a double and was driven in by a Buster Posey RBI double. The next batter Longoria once again got San Francisco on the board with a two-RBI home run.

Young would finish the inning but that would be the end of his night. He went five innings, allowing eight hits and five earned runs. He struck out two, walked two and gave up the one home run in his worst outing of the year.

“Like I said last time, I’m just trying to be too perfect,” said Young after his start. “So I mean that’s something I need to work on. I don’t think my command is gone, I just think I’m trying to be too perfect with it.”

The D-backs starters in this last turn of the rotation pitched 21.0 innings and allowed 22 runs with a 2-3 record in those five starts, which is going to be a concern for Lovullo and staff with the temporary loss of Robbie Ray.

UP NEXT

After struggling at home early this season against the NL West, the D-backs will look to bounce back and improve their 6-2 record in their last eight home games against divisional rivals in game two against the Giants.

Mike Leake will make his third start for Arizona since being acquired from the Mariners. Leake is 9-10 this season with a 4.58 ERA. First pitch is scheduled for 6:40 p.m. with pregame coverage beginning 40 minutes earlier on 98.7 FM Arizona’s Sports Station.

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