Somewhere between the end of a 3-7 homestand and the first pitch of Monday night’s series opener at the San Diego Padres, the Arizona Diamondbacks saw a new pair of injuries crop up.
But Arizona manager Torey Lovullo opted to stress the positive in his pre-game meeting with the media, saying that “today’s a new day.” And Arizona overcame the loss of its All-Star second baseman and its closer to open a big National League West series with a 6-3 win.
The Diamondbacks will aim to make it two victories in a row when the four-game series continues on Tuesday night in San Diego.
Lovullo had to scratch second baseman Ketel Marte with right groin tightness after pre-game warm-ups. The Diamondbacks also shipped Shelby Miller, who leads the team with 10 saves, to the 15-day injured list with a right forearm strain. But the top five hitters in the Arizona lineup collected eight of the team’s nine hits on Monday, and a shaky bullpen got the necessary outs to hang on for the win.
“It was a gut-check night,” Lovullo said. “Our guys went out there under tough circumstances and executed and won a baseball game. That’s why I’m so proud of them. Players were having to grow up.”
Lovullo did have good news post-game on Marte, whom he said he believes will be able to return to the lineup on Tuesday night. But Lovullo said there was no timetable for the return of Miller, who has a 3-3 record and a 1.98 ERA.
The pitching matchup on Tuesday should be a good one, as the Diamondbacks will send Merrill Kelly (7-4, 3.55 ERA) against Nick Pivetta (9-2, 3.25) in a matchup of right-handers. The two met on June 15 in Arizona, with Pivetta allowing two runs on two hits over seven innings in an 8-2 San Diego win. Kelly took the loss after giving up four earned runs in five innings.
Kelly didn’t figure into the decision on Wednesday in a 6-5, 10-inning loss to San Francisco, allowing five hits and three runs over six innings with three walks and three strikeouts. He’s 9-5 with a 3.57 ERA in 17 career starts against San Diego.
Pivetta’s most recent outing also was Wednesday, when he posted a 6-4 win in Philadelphia by going six innings and permitting a run on seven hits with no walks and six punchouts. He’s 2-1 with a 3.86 ERA in four career games against Arizona.
Monday’s result spoiled a significant night on two fronts for the Padres. They got Yu Darvish (elbow) back after he missed the season’s first 89 games, and he allowed two earned runs on three hits and three walks over 3 2/3 innings but took the loss.
It also dampened a career milestone for Manny Machado, who became the 12th player in MLB history to amass 2,000 hits and 350 homers during his age-32 season with a leadoff single in the fourth. He turned 33 on Sunday.
Machado is one of five active players with at least 2,000 hits, joining Freddie Freeman, Jose Altuve, Andrew McCutchen and Paul Goldschmidt.
“Quite an accomplishment,” San Diego manager Mike Shildt said of Machado. “It speaks volumes for what he’s done in his career. He’s earned it all. It starts with physical ability, and then you get to a certain point where it becomes your mental capacity and how to play the game.
“When you’re super-talented and highly intelligent like Manny, you’re pretty special. Then you’ve got the durability and toughness so that you can accrue numbers.”
–Field Level Media
