Robbie Ray’s control issues persist in loss to Dodgers

It’s ten games into the Arizona Diamondbacks’ season and they still do not have a win from a starting pitcher.

Robbie Ray looked like he was on the way to breaking that streak, but his control issues from last season persisted and played a part in the D-backs’ 5-2 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Ray was 1-8 last year when he had at least three walks and his problems throwing strikes continued in Los Angeles.

He had 36 pitches in the first two innings, including two walks.

In the second inning, Ray got behind the first four batters 2-0 and had a throwing error that moved up Dodgers center fielder Trayce Thompson to third base.

To his credit, Ray recovered. He threw first-pitch strikes in six of his seven at-bats in the third and fourth innings combined, throwing only 16 pitches in the two innings.

The roller coaster, however, would continue after the D-backs provided a 2-0 lead.

He got behind batters 2-0 three more times in the sixth and seventh innings combined.

In the seventh inning, a four-pitch walk to Dodgers second baseman Austin Barnes with one runner on gave Barnes his second of the night hitting in front of the pitcher and was enough for manager Chip Hale to move on to the bullpen.

D-backs reliever Randall Delgado was unable to stop the bleeding. Pinch-hitter Justin Turner hit a single that brought home one run and Enrique Hernandez’s two-RBI double put the Dodgers ahead.

Ray picked up a no-decision, finishing with five walks, six strikeouts, four hits and two earned runs.

The 24-year-old wasn’t able to pitch at least seven innings, something he has done only three times in his last 25 starts.

Yasiel Puig and Adrian’s Gonzalez’s back-to-back RBI singles made it four straight RBI hits and a five-run inning for the Dodgers.

The D-backs were unable to produce any more offense and were handed their third straight series loss to start the season.

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