D-backs Surrender 1st Place in Loss to Pirates

Alek Thomas homered and singled, but rest of Offense comes up short against Pittsburgh in last game before the All Star break

The Diamondbacks (52-39) lost 4-2 to the Pirates today, dropping out of first place in the process as their .571 win percentage is slightly behind the Dodgers .573 win percentage. The Dodgers, who are are 51-38, were off today  The D-backs head into the break in the second wild card position, just behind the Miami Marlins, who are 53-39, .576 W%

The Pirates utilized  seven relievers in a bullpen game to hold the D-backs offense in check to take the series finale. 

Zach Davies had a decent if unspectacular outing this afternoon. He went 5.1 innings allowing three runs on just four hits, two walks, and struck out six. One of the hits was a two-run homer, by Ji Man Choi in the second inning that came after Davies issued a  lead off walk to Carlos Santana. The pitch was a four seam fastball that was to close to the middle of the plate. 

That homer erased a 1-0 D-backs lead Davies had been handed in the first inning. Geraldo Perdomo drew a leadoff walk and Christian Walker did the same with two outs. They then executed a successful double steal, and Perdomo came home to score when the throw down to second went into center field. Walker ended up at third on a head first slide, but  All Star Lourdes Gurriel Jr.  was not able to drive him home, popping out to first base. 

Alek Thomas tied things up in the third with a solo homer, his second in two days and 5th on the season. Notably, the line shot came off a lefty, reliever Ryan Borucki.  Thomas said "I feel like my approach against lefties has always been pretty solid, but in the big leagues it hasn't really been where I want it to be."  Asked what he felt was the main difference between facing lefties in the majors vs. the minors, he replied simply "They're better".  That got a good chuckle from everyone, but it's a good omen for the young outfielder to be doing damage vs. left hand pitching. 

AT5 is on fire. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/EGgQ92X39J

— Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks) July 9, 2023

The Pirates took the lead off Davies in the 5th with back to back singles, the second of the bloop variety. A sacrifice bunt and a sac fly followed to get the 3rd Pirates run home. Davies threw 92 pitches, 53 for strikes.  He used his  four seam fastball and sinker equally and had a good changeup today, generating five whiffs on 13 swings. He kept his team in the game and gave them a chance to win.  

Davies said he felt like he was headed in the right direction, but was frustrated by a couple of pitches and couple of at bats, including the pitch to Choi.  Still, after a very rough period he's put together a three start  stretch where he's given up just seven total runs in 18 innings, giving him something to build off of for the second half.

"I think [these 3 starts] are confidence builders that shows me one pitch here one pitch there will change the game as opposed to searching for a lot of stuff. So fresh start after the break, sort of take it that way. I'm going to try to have the best second half that I can and help this team get to the playoffs"

Meanwhile the stream of Pirates relievers were holding the D-backs in check. A lead off double by Walker in fourth was wasted when the next three went down in order, Walker never even advancing to third base. Ketel Marte leadoff the sixth with a double, but he also did not score. Corbin Carroll bunted him over to third, but Walker and Lourdes Gurriel grounded out to end that threat. Emmanuel Rivera reached on a fielding error to start the 7th, but one out later Carson Kelly hit into a 1-6-3 double play. 

Once again in the 8th inning the D-backs had a golden opportunity. Thomas singled for his second hit of the game, and was bunted over to second by a Perdomo sacrifice. Thomas moved up to third on a ground out by Marte, but was stranded there when Carroll ground out to short. That left the D-backs 0-8 with runners in scoring position for the game. 

It all became moot when Pirates tacked on another run in the top of the 9th against Jose Ruiz on a double by Choi and and an RBI base hit by Jared Triolo, running the score to 4-2.  All Star closer David Bednar came in and despite throwing 22 pitches in a loss yesterday, closed it out for the Pirates. 

The D-backs next game is Friday in Toronto. They are sending four players to Tuesday's All Star Game, including Zac Gallen, Corbin Carroll, Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and Geraldo Perdomo. The rest of the team will take the break to recoup from a tough stretch of games, both physically and emotionally, to resume the pennant chase in the second half.