D-backs fall short of comeback again; extend losing streak to 12 games

PHOENIX — In an 8-6 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals at Chase Field on Friday, the Arizona Diamondbacks once again fell just short of the comeback and extended their current losing streak to 12-games — their longest string of losses since 2004.

The franchise record for consecutive losses was set that season at 14 games total, a mark this year’s team is veering dangerously close to.

First baseman Pavin Smith was 2-for-3 with a triple, double and pair of walks, while right fielder Josh Reddick was 3-for-5 with a double, two singles and an RBI for the D-backs on a night where they couldn’t convert with runners in scoring position.

“This isn’t an effort issue. This to me is more of a focus issue,” manager Torey Lovullo said via Zoom postgame on his team’s struggles.

“We just got to get that fine focus like I’ve seen our guys do and we’re going to start winning baseball games.”

Madison Bumgarner, who has turned his season around in his last six starts, had a rough first inning that put the D-backs behind early.

He started things off by walking second baseman Tommy Edman, who stole second base, moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on a Paul Goldschmidt sac-fly, Bumgarner also walked center fielder Dylan Carlson, who scored on an RBI double by Yadier Molina.

The lefty-handed pitcher then gave up a 2-run dinger to left field off the bat of Tyler O’Neill that put the Cardinals up by four after one inning.

“I didn’t think it was Bum’s finest day,” Lovullo said. “But he battled and did what he could. I just think the command of his itched isn’t what we’ve seen over the past several outings.”

In the third, longtime rival in new colors Nolan Arenado took a good Bumgarner pitch deep for his 11th home run of the year.

“It was the best at-bat I can recall anybody ever having against me,” Bumgarner said. “That one was pretty amazing. I don’t know what else to say about that, but you know I’m honestly not upset about that one.”

The Cardinals ended the lefty’s night with a two-hit, two-run inning in the fourth. Bumgarner didn’t go an inning without allowing a baserunner and his day was over after four — although he did bat for himself in the home half of the inning.

He allowed seven earned runs on five hits and four walks while striking out four on 92 pitches (63 strikes).

“I didn’t adjust to their game plan fast enough and when I did, I didn’t execute on what I needed to do,” Bumgarner said of his outing. “The first inning put us in quite a hole there.”

When asked about the losing streak and how to overcome it, Bumgarner said if he knew, he would be “spreading the word like wildfire.”

“It is definitely early in the season and there’s a lot of things that can happen, but we gotta do something,” he added. “We gotta find a way. I don’t know. I wish I had some sort of answer or some sort of prophecy, but I’ve got nothing.”

The offense was productive early against Cardinals starting pitcher Johan Oviedo. Arizona’s leadoff man walked and scored in each of the first three innings.

Josh Rojas got on base by way of a leadoff walk and scored on a David Peralta RBI single in the first. Rojas was 1-for-3 with a single, three walks and a run scored while Peralta was 1-for-4 with an RBI, walk and a run scored.

Nick Ahmed walked to lead off the second and the D-backs were able to load the bases, but they only pushed one run across the plate on a Carson Kelly sac-fly.

Peralta then walked to leadoff the third inning and scored on a Reddick RBI single.

The D-backs had plenty of base runners throughout the night, but they just couldn’t convert any of those opportunities into big innings. They were 7-for-19 with runners in scoring position and left 13 runners on base in total.

Pitcher Riley Smith had a nice outing in relief of Bumgarner. The 26-year-old righty threw two clean innings and was a bright spot for a bullpen that has been in dire need of some consistency.

Recently called up reliever Ryan Buchter also put zeros on the scoreboard in his two innings of work. The bullpen allowed only one unearned run and gave the D-backs a chance to catch up.

Eduardo Escobar added a two-RBI single in the eighth inning to close the gap within two runs, but Arizona just wasn’t able to overcome the early deficit.

Escobar is now tied with Jesus Aguilar for first in RBIs in the National League with 37 and has hit safely in 12 of his last 13 games.

In regards to the Goldschmidt trade, both Kelly and Goldy were hitless at the plate with an RBI sac-fly each. However, Goldschmidt walked in the seventh inning and then reached on a throwing error in the eighth, stole a base and scored on a sac-fly by Arenado, so advantage St. Louis yet again.

UP NEXT

The D-backs will try to snap the streak on Saturday in Game 3 against the Cardinals. Seth Frankoff will be on the hill facing off against Adam Wainwright. Frankoff is 0-1 with a 7.27 ERA with six strikeouts and five walks in two starts this season for Arizona.

First pitch is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. with pregame coverage beginning 40 minutes earlier on 98.7 FM Arizona’s Sports Station.

Follow @Cap_Kaveman