Recent D-backs call-up Robbie Ray puts forth solid start against Mets

Making just his second start for the Arizona Diamondbacks, 23-year-old Robbie Ray lasted just five innings against the New York Mets on Thursday and surrendered six hits, including three doubles.

The recent call-up had runners on base in all but one of the innings he pitched, including two on the bags in three of those frames. The left-hander also walked a batter, and he threw a whopping 110 pitches while making it just past the halfway mark of the game.

The good news?

Not a single baserunner reached home against the first-year Diamondback.

Ray struck out four and stranded six during his outing, including four that were in scoring position. Even though he twice allowed two runners on with no outs, the lefty excelled with working himself out of a jam in his second start of the year — his first being May 6 in Colorado, in which he earned a win.

“Felt good to get back there on the mound,” he said after the game. “I felt like my stuff was good tonight. A couple times I wasn’t able to put away hitters and got deep into counts; that’s why I was only able to go five [innings] tonight. But, for the most part, I felt like my stuff was good tonight.”

By the time he left, Arizona held a one-run lead. Ray’s ERA with the D-backs dropped to 0.82 after his five innings of shutout ball against the Mets.

In nine starts with Triple-A Reno this season, Ray had a 2-3 record and 3.67 ERA with 57 strikeouts in 41.2 innings pitched. The Brentwood, Tennessee, native made six starts and nine appearances last season for the Detroit Tigers, posting a 1-4 record and 8.16 ERA with 19 strikeouts in 28.2 innings pitched.

Unfortunately, the lead Ray — acquired as part of the Didi Gregorius three-way trade over the offseason — handed the Diamondbacks didn’t last long. Relief pitcher Dominic Leone made his first appearance for the D-backs — after being acquired from Seattle for Mark Trumbo on Wednesday — in the sixth inning, but the 23-year-old right-hander struggled mightily, allowing four hits and three earned runs during the frame.

The Diamondbacks ended up dropping the series opener 6-2.