CHICAGO — The results are the results, and Diamondbacks right-hander Merrill Kelly did not quibble with them. He started another game, he made mistakes, and — this part was most important, he said — his team lost. It was not a good day.
But despite this — despite the six runs, the three walks and the handful of hard-hit balls he allowed, despite the two disappointing outings that preceded it, making it the worst three-start stretch of his career — Kelly came away from the Diamondbacks’ 8-4 loss to the Chicago Cubs on Sunday feeling generally encouraged by his outing, a sentiment he tried to convey as delicately as possible.
“Obviously, we lost, so that’s really all that matters,” Kelly said. “But, for myself, we’re going in the right direction.”
Kelly’s view of himself was similar in tenor to the prevailing notion within the clubhouse on the Diamondbacks’ situation at large. Not so much that anyone was trying to suggest that things are going great since the loss completed a three-game sweep at the hands of the Cubs at Wrigley Field, but more that everything is going to be fine in the end.
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Mincing no words about their 2-6 road trip, shortstop Geraldo Perdomo called it “bad, really bad” and also found ways to work in “disaster” and “horrible.” In the same breath, he did not betray a hint of doubt that his team, which has lost nine of its past 12 games and dropped below .500 for the first time since April 7, would find a way to rebound.
“I just told (manager) Torey (Lovullo) that we’re going to be good,” Perdomo said. “At the end of the day, we’re going to be in the playoffs and we’re going to be good. This happens sometimes.”
A little more than two weeks ago, the Diamondbacks had secured their fourth consecutive series victory. They were 13-8. Things were clicking. They were playing sound defense. Their pitching had been surprisingly effective. They were finding ways to generate enough runs.
Much has changed. The latest loss to the Cubs had a little bit of everything that has plagued them in recent days. There were defensive mistakes that led to runs. There was a poor outing from the starting pitcher. There was a lack of offense, and an ugly out on the bases.
“We just haven’t been playing the same brand of baseball that we were earlier in the year,” Kelly said. “That’s going to happen. We’re not going to roll through the year and be perfect all year long. We just had a bad road trip. We’ll get home, turn the page. We have an off day tomorrow. We can reset and get back at it after tomorrow.”
Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Merrill Kelly (29) is relieved against the Chicago Cubs during the fifth inning at Wrigley Field May 3.
Kelly’s line was not pretty. In 4⅓ innings, he gave up six runs on eight hits, walking three and striking out five. He has permitted 19 earned runs in 13⅔ innings over his past three starts. He has issued 11 walks in that span, an unusually high number for a pitcher generally known for his command.
But he said he felt a significant difference in terms of where the ball was going and how it was moving.
“I saw some positive things, felt some positive things,” he said. “The ball was doing what it was supposed to do more often. Just still, obviously, need to tighten some things up. Mislocations in big spots and the walks are coming back to bite me. But, overall, definitely a step in the right direction with the timing and the feel.”
The two big hits of the day off Kelly were delivered by left-handed hitters: a two-run homer by Moises Ballesteros in the third and a bases-clearing triple by Michael Busch in the fifth. Kelly said he needs to do better at commanding pitches against them on the inner half.
“I just feel like that’s been a trend since I’ve been back,” he said. “I just feel like lefties are giving me trouble because I’m not making them aware enough of the inside part of the plate.”
Arizona Diamondbacks shortstop Geraldo Perdomo hits a three-run home run against the Chicago Cubs during the sixth inning at Wrigley Field May 1.
Over the past 12 games, the starting rotation has posted a 10.10 ERA while logging just a shade over four innings per start.
Gabriel Moreno connected for his first home run, a two-run shot in the second. Adrian Del Castillo added a two-run shot in the ninth. Beyond that, the Diamondbacks’ offense failed to produce.
“We’re still working; we’re still fighting,” Perdomo said. “We’ve got to make good pitches, take good at-bats. I think that’s the key to be fine at the end of the day. We’ve haven’t done that this past week.”
Coming up
– Tuesday, May 5: At Chase Field, 6:40 p.m., Diamondbacks LHP Eduardo Rodriguez (2-0, 3.03) vs. Pirates RHP Bubba Chandler (1-3, 4.97).
– Wednesday, May 6: At Chase Field, 6:40 p.m., Diamondbacks RHP Michael Soroka (4-1, 4.70) vs. Pirates RHP Paul Skenes (4-2, 3.18).
– Thursday, May 7: At Chase Field, 12:40 p.m., Diamondbacks RHP Zac Gallen (1-2, 4.45) vs. Pirates RHP Mitch Keller (3-1, 2.85).
