Relievers get their work in during D-backs loss to Padres

The Arizona Diamondbacks lost to the San Diego Padres by a score of 6-2 Tuesday afternoon at Salt River Fields in Scottsdale.

The Good:

J.J. Putz, Heath Bell and David Hernandez have not seen much action this spring season, and Tuesday they each pitched an inning early in the ball game, facing the better part of the Padres roster.

Putz started the game and threw one inning, giving up one hit and allowing one earned run with one strikeout.

Bell followed Putz and also pitched one inning, with one walk and two strikeouts.

Hernandez pitched the third inning and went 1-2-3 with one strikeout.

The Bad:

Manager Kirk Gibson was happy to get his relievers some work in the absence of a “true” starting pitcher Tuesday, but he wasn’t so happy with the amount of fastballs that were thrown. According to Gibson, the Padres are a “behind-count-fastball hitting team.” Gibson said that they will have to be smarter about that during the season and make better pitches.

Another reliever, Andrew Barbosa, came in to pitch the fourth and fifth innings and struggled early on. He allowed four hits and four earned runs with a walk and a home run in those two frames.

Barbosa spent last season with the Southbend Silver Hawks in Class A Midwest League. He was selected by the D-backs in the 36th round of the 2012 First-Year Player Draft from the University of South Florida.

Noted:

Putz made a rare start for the Diamondbacks on Tuesday. He made the start because Wade Miley played in an intrasquad game Monday and has been shut down since March 11, the day before he was scheduled to make a start, due to ‘dead arm’ and discomfort in the bicep of his left arm. Tuesday was Miley’s day to start in the spring rotation.

He Said It:

Manager Kirk Gibson talked about Heath Bell and David Hernandez getting some work in early in the game.

“They haven’t thrown very much, they’ve thrown a lot of side sessions. I think [pitching coach Charles Nagy] is going to sit down and map it out from here until the end of the year. For sure want them to throw back to back one of these upcoming days.”

Both Bell and Hernandez were with Team USA for the World Baseball Classic.

Up Next:

The Diamondbacks hit the road to play the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday. Righty Brandon McCarthy is scheduled to make the start for Arizona and righty Gavin Floyd will go for the White Sox. Brad Ziegler and Tony Sipp are also scheduled to pitch for the D-backs. First pitch is slated for 1:05 p.m.

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