Dose of Venom: D-backs drop fifth straight in loss to Mets
Apr 16, 2014, 5:48 AM | Updated: 5:48 am
PHOENIX — Different day. Same result.
The Arizona Diamondbacks once again, for the fourth straight game, watched their starter pitch less than six innings, putting undue pressure on an already taxed bullpen.
Bronson Arroyo (1-1) failed to complete four innings. He was pulled with one out in the third and charged with nine runs on 10 hits and a walk.
“Terrible timing,” said Arroyo after his shortest outing in his past eight starts. “I mean, this ballclub needs a quality start from somebody bad. You always hope to be the guy to do that, but it didn’t happen tonight.”
The Diamondbacks dropped their fifth straight and seventh straight at home, 9-0 to the New York Mets. It was the third time this season the Diamondbacks were shutout.
Kirk Nieuwenhuis had three hits, including a two-run home run, his first of the year, and three RBI. Eric Young, Jr. added three hits and two RBI.
All nine runs — a season high for New York — were scored before the Diamondbacks’ first hit of the game, a Paul Goldschmidt single to left with one out in the fourth.
Mets right-hander Jenrry Mejia (2-0) was perfect through three innings and had only allowed two hits before he was removed because he had torn a blister on the tip of his middle finger of his throwing hand, according to the team.
The Diamondbacks managed only three hits, two of which were infield singles.
With the loss, the Diamondbacks fall to 4-13, including 1-10 in home games.
“It’s frustrating, but only we can get ourselves out of it,” manager Kirk Gibson said. “These are the best guys we’ve got going right now. They’ve got to buck up. They’ve got to find a way within themselves to pitch the way they’re capable of pitching. And if we can do that, then the rest will fall in place.”
THE GOOD
Goldschmidt has hit safely in eight of his last nine games (.278, 10-for-36).
Mark Trumbo has had his issues in left field this season, but he made a nice sliding grab to rob Omar Quintanilla of a base hit in the fifth inning.
The Diamondbacks bullpen pitched 5.2 scoreless innings, allowing two hits and one walk. Randall Delgado, Oliver Perez, JJ Putz and Addison Reed combined for nine strikeouts.
Gibson successfully challenged a close play at first in the fifth inning. First base umpire Mike DiMuro signaled AJ Pollock out, but the call was overturned after review, giving Pollock an infield single. Gibson improved to 1-1 on challenges this season.
THE BAD
Three straight hits to open the first inning and the Mets had the bases loaded after the first five pitches of the game. They scored three runs (Lucas Duda fielder’s choice, Andrew Brown sac fly and Niewenhuis single) on the next nine pitches.
The Mets sent 11 batters to the plate in the fourth inning, scoring six runs on six hits, a walk and a hit batter. The six runs was a Diamondbacks’ opponent season-high for most runs in an inning.
The Mets entered the game with the worst team batting average (.218) in the National League, yet had 10 hits in their first 19 official at-bats (21 plate appearances) of the game.
Miguel Montero went 0-for-4, ending what had been a modest five-game hitting streak; and he failed to reach base for the first time in eight games.
Martin Prado went 0-for-4 and is now 1-for-16 (.063) with eight strikeouts in his last five games.
Aaron Hill went 0-for-4 and is now 5-for-32 (.156) in his last eight games.
STAT OF THE GAME
9.95: Arroyo’s ERA, the worst on the Diamondbacks pitching staff; just ahead of Trevor Cahill (9.17)
HE SAID IT
“It doesn’t really get much lower than it is right now,” Arroyo said. “It’s tough to come to the park every day and have the starting rotation give up runs early. When you’re down five, I mean irregardless of the guys grinding at the plate, it’s very difficult to just be put in that deficit every single night.”
NOTED
The Diamondbacks seventh straight loss at Chase Field tied for the second-longest home losing streak in club history (June 5-11, 2006); and the 4-13 record matches their worst 17-game start in team history (1998).
The Mets have won four straight games against the Diamondbacks and four straight at Chase Field; and they shutout the D-backs for the first time since June 10, 2006 at Chase Field (5-0).
The Diamondbacks starting rotation is 3-11 with a 7.82 ERA (75 ER in 86.3 IP) and 16 home runs allowed. They have two quality starts in 17 games this season.
Gerardo Parra played in his 700th career game, becoming the eighth Diamondback to reach the mark.
UP NEXT
Brandon McCarthy takes the mound in the series and homestand finale on Wednesday, April 16. First pitch is scheduled for 12:40 with pregame coverage beginning 30 minutes earlier on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM.
McCarthy is 0-2 with a 7.78 ERA (17 ER in 19.2 IP) in his first three starts. In his only career start against the Mets, he suffered a 4-1 loss on Aug. 10 last season, giving up two runs in seven innings.
McCarthy will be opposed by right-hander Dillon Gee (0-0, 5.03), who in four career starts against the Diamondbacks is 1-1 with a 3.75 ERA (10 ER in 24 IP) and has allowed three home runs and struck out 21.
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