Pressure mounts as Arizona Diamondbacks fall to New York Mets
NEW YORK — For the past few months, little has come easy — or as expected — for the Diamondbacks. That trend has continued the past two days at Citi Field.
Facing a New York Mets team that is having one of the more disappointing seasons in baseball this year, the Diamondbacks, fresh off a rousing weekend in Chicago, looked poised to roll to another series victory.
But after right-hander Zac Gallen was roughed up in a 7-1 loss on Wednesday night, not only do the Diamondbacks now need a win to salvage a series split, their hold on a wild-card spot is again looking tenuous.
The loss, coupled with wins by the Cincinnati Reds, San Francisco Giants and Miami Marlins, have left the Diamondbacks tied with the Reds and only a half-game up on the Giants and Marlins for the National League’s final playoff spot.
Gallen was hammered in his five-plus innings of work, giving up seven runs (six earned) on eight hits. He gave up a slew of hard-hit contact, including seven balls in the air or on a line at 95 mph or harder.
“The fact that we’re in this race, I think that’s what makes it more disappointing than anything,” Gallen said. “I just didn’t give us a chance to win tonight. That’s my job.”
Last week in Chicago, Gallen seemed to thrust himself right back into the National League Cy Young conversation by firing the first nine-inning complete game and shutout of his career. But this outing — the seventh of the year in which he allowed five runs or more — could bump him right back into the Cy Young periphery.
“His command might have been a little off,” Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said. “He’s going to get the ball in five days and we’re going to need him to be at his best at that point.”
The Diamondbacks went from having one of the best records in the National League at the start of July to an all-out, six-week collapse in which they went 7-25 over 32 games. Just as inexplicably, they followed that up by ripping off 18 wins in their next 27 games, including taking three of four in a pivotal series against the Cubs over the weekend.
They seemed well-positioned to roll to another series victory this week. The Mets had other ideas. After sweeping the Diamondbacks in a series at Chase Field in July, they have taken two of three this week, and the Diamondbacks will turn to right-hander Merrill Kelly on Thursday afternoon in hopes of salvaging a four-game split.
“Real big,” Lovullo said, when asked about the importance of Thursday’s game. “We can’t do anything other than come out and win a baseball game tomorrow and split the series. That’s what we’ve got to do. … I want us to win every day. That’s what our mind-set should be. Win today and take care of our business the way we know how.”
The Diamondbacks were shut down over seven-plus innings by Mets lefty Joey Lucchesi, who allowed just an unearned run on five hits and three walks. It was the sixth consecutive game in which the Diamondbacks scored four runs or less; they are hitting just .218/.304/.274 in that stretch with one home run. A night after going 2 for 10 with runners in scoring position, they were just 1 for 11 in those spots on Wednesday.
“Obviously we’d like to keep it rolling and continue to win,” veteran Evan Longoria said. “It’s hard when offensively we’ve thrown up two duds in a row, basically. We didn’t have too many opportunities today.”
Lovullo thought his hitters were too aggressive with men in scoring position, and did not play a clean enough game, citing Lourdes Gurriel Jr. running into an out at second base in the fourth inning when he tried to stretch a single into a double.
“This team has to do everything very well each day to win a baseball game,” Lovullo said. “That’s what our expectations are. If we do it, we put ourselves in a position to win. When we don’t, it can look a little bit sloppy.”
The Diamondbacks should get a lift of sorts awaiting them on Thursday: Catcher Gabriel Moreno, who missed the first three games of this series for the birth of his first child, is expected to be back in the lineup, Lovullo said.
Diamondbacks at Mets, 4:10 p.m., Citi Field
Diamondbacks RHP Zac Gallen (15-7, 3.31) vs. Mets LHP Joey Lucchesi (2-0, 3.54).
Gallen turned in the first nine-inning complete game of his career in his most recent start, shutting down the Cubs on three hits and one walk in a 1-0 victory at Wrigley Field. … It came on the heels of a pair of shaky starts in which he allowed 11 earned runs in 10 2/3 innings combined. … He did not face the Mets earlier this year but has seen them five times in his career, posting a 2.42 ERA with 13 walks and 28 strikeouts in 26 innings. … Senga is probably the odds-on choice to finish runner-up to Diamondbacks OF Corbin Carroll in National League Rookie of the Year voting. … Lucchesi has made six starts with the Mets this year, most recently on Aug. 18, when he threw 5 2/3 scoreless innings in a start against the St. Louis Cardinals. ... His past three starts have come for Triple-A Syracuse, where he allowed 13 earned runs in 14 innings, walking nine and striking out 12. ... A former San Diego Padres pitcher, Lucchesi has faced the Diamondbacks nine times (eight starts) in his career, logging a 4.75 ERA in 41 2/3 innings.
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Coming up
Thursday: At New York, 1:10 p.m., Diamondbacks RHP Merrill Kelly (11-6, 3.16) vs. Mets RHP Kodai Senga (10-7, 3.07).
Friday: At Chase Field, 6:40 p.m., Diamondbacks RHP Brandon Pfaadt (1-8, 6.25) vs. Cubs RHP Kyle Hendricks (6-7, 3.71).
Saturday: At Chase Field, 5:10 p.m., Diamondbacks RHP Zach Davies (2-5, 6.81) vs. Cubs LHP Jordan Wicks (3-0, 1.99).
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Arizona Diamondbacks-New York Mets pitching matchup for Wednesday
