Diamondbacks’ bats unusually quiet in loss at home

Through their first month of games at Chase Field this season, the Diamondbacks have possessed a sort of instant-gratification offense. If one hitter hasn’t delivered a big hit, it’s been a safe bet the next one would.

But, for a night at least, the hits dried up, making their 3-1 loss to the Colorado Rockies on Friday jarring for its lack of, well, substance. A lineup that had somehow sustained the unsustainable grounded to a halt, and the Diamondbacks were left to dissect what few opportunities they had.

BOX SCORE: Rockies 3, Diamondbacks 1

Paul Goldschmidt broke his bat on a weak pop out with runners on second and third in the fifth inning, and Yasmany Tomas followed with a routine ground out, and thus constituted the Diamondbacks’ best scoring opportunity against Rockies rookie Kyle Freeland, who gave up just one run in six innings.

Goldschmidt made mention of that situation when talking to reporters postgame. What he didn’t mention was the at-bat in the third inning, when he smoked a two-out single through the box to drive home the Diamondbacks’ only run of the game.

“I know we had some chances to score runs with the right guys up there,” Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said. “But sometimes they make it look so easy that when they don’t get it done, you realize how hard it is.”

The Diamondbacks entered Friday with a .330 average with runners in scoring position. They were averaging more than seven runs a game at home. They had six hitters in the lineup sporting averages north of .300.

But on a night when lefty Robbie Ray worked into the seventh inning, they fell short against a Rockies team that reclaimed first place in the National League West, moving a half-game up on the Diamondbacks.

Freeland was a big part of that. For the fourth time in five starts to begin his career, he held the opposition to one run or less, using a mix of four-seam and two-seam fastballs, sliders and change-ups, pitches he fired from a low three-quarters arm slot.

“It was really late movement,” Diamondbacks catcher Chris Iannetta said. “He was mixing it up (with sinkers and four-seamers). You’d see a pitch start over the middle of the plate and at times it would move down and away, other times it would just ride.”

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Goldschmidt got a fastball over the plate in the third inning and ripped it through the box, missing a ducking Freeland by inches to drive home A.J. Pollock. But, two innings later, Freeland got two strikes on Goldschmidt and pounded him in with a fastball. Goldschmidt tried to turn on it but got jammed.

“The pitch before was a change-up down and away and then you go up and in with a fastball,” Goldschmidt said. “He’s throwing backdoor sliders, too, and sinkers down and away. You’re not going to be able to cover everything. I almost got there on that pitch, but that’s just a good pitch.”

Ray threw well, mostly limiting the Rockies’ potent offense. But the Rockies chipped away at him. After a Nolan Arenado double in the first, Carlos Gonzalez grounded a single through the middle to make it 1-0. Two innings later, Trevor Story launched his sixth career homer in his seventh career game at Chase Field to make it 2-0.

And with two out in the seventh, Charlie Blackmon served a two-out single into left to score the Rockies’ third run.

“That’s one of those nights where we unfortunately didn’t execute, but that’s the beauty of baseball,” Lovullo said. “It’s not magic. You can’t do it every time. It’s one of those situations where we have to tell them to get after it tomorrow.”

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Reach Piecoro at (602) 444-8680 or [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @nickpiecoro.

Saturday’s game

Rockies at Diamondbacks

When: 5:10 p.m.

Where: Chase Field (roof hotline: 602-462-6262).

Pitchers: Diamondbacks RHP Zack Greinke (2-2, 2.93) vs. Rockies LHP Tyler Anderson (1-3, 7.11).

TV/Radio: FSAZ/KMVP-FM (98.7), KHOV-FM (105.1).

Greinke is coming off back-to-back starts against the San Diego Padres, in which he gave up a combined two runs in 14 innings with one walk and 17 strikeouts. … Greinke has a career 4.09 ERA in 20 games (19 starts) against the Rockies, including a 6.48 ERA in three starts against them last season. … OF Carlos Gonzalez has hit him well in their careers, going 13 for 34 (.382) with four homers. … Anderson was impressive as a rookie last season, posting a 3.54 ERA in 19 starts for the Rockies, but he has struggled through five starts this season, giving up six homers in 25 1/3 innings and a league-leading 20 earned runs. … Opponents are hitting .407 off him with runners in scoring position and just .246 with the bases empty. … Anderson faced the Diamondbacks at Chase Field last June, giving up two runs in 5 2/3 innings.

Coming up

Sunday: At Chase Field, 1:10 p.m., Diamondbacks LHP Patrick Corbin (2-3, 3.10) vs. Rockies RHP German Marquez (0-1, 18.00).

Monday: Off.

Tuesday: At Washington, 4:05 p.m., Diamondbacks RHP Taijuan Walker (3-1, 3.94) vs. Nationals RHP Tanner Roark (3-0, 3.64).

Wednesday: At Washington, 4:05 p.m., Diamondbacks LHP Robbie Ray (2-0, 3.42)* vs. Nationals LHP Gio Gonzalez (3-0, 1.62).

* — Stats entering Friday.