Kirk Gibson: We’re not here for moral victories

With Wednesday’s loss to the Cincinnati Reds the Arizona Diamondbacks fell to nine games back in the NL West with 31 games left on the schedule.

Patrick Corbin pitched six scoreless innings before giving up three runs in the top of the seventh and being pulled.

While Gibson acknowledged Corbin had a strong first six innings, he also said that those small victories don’t mean much when it comes to making the playoffs.

“He really had good stuff today, he was really locating well. He was rolling but it got away from him quick,” manager Kirk Gibson said. “We lost the game. Ultimately we’re not here for moral victories. It’s very disappointing, it’s very frustrating.”

The Diamondbacks lost the last six games of their homestand and eight of their last ten, dropping them to three games below .500.

“We had a horrible homestand. We scored 13 runs in our last six games. It’s not a good feeling. Everyone’s searching and the more you search the rougher it gets at times.”

While many have made the connection to last season and the late-season heroics of the Diamondbacks, Gibson knows there’s no time for excuses or what-ifs and said that they just need to start winning games.

“Nobody feels sorry for us, nobody feels sorry for themselves. That’s what we signed up for,” Gibson said.

The Diamondbacks now head to Los Angeles for a four game series against the Dodgers and then to San Francisco for three. Of their final 31 games, 28 are against divisional opponents with 13 against the Giants or Dodgers, who the Diamondbacks are trailing in the division.

While the Diamondbacks are not out of playoff contention, GM Kevin Towers acknowledges that their ten game road trip against the Dodgers, Giants and Padres will either propel them back in to the playoff hunt, or preparing for next season.

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