Diamondbacks wrap series against Brewers Sunday afternoon

MILWAUKEE – Domingo Santana hit his first career grand slam and the Milwaukee Brewers held off the Arizona Diamondbacks 9-5 on Sunday.

The NL Central-leading Brewers built an 8-1 lead thanks to Santana’s blast and starter Jimmy Nelson’s 10-strikeout performance over seven superb innings. But, it was almost all for naught.

After Nelson (3-3) departed, Arizona scored four times in the eighth off relievers Oliver Drake and Carlos Torres. With the tying run at the plate, Jacob Barnes forced pinch hitter Paul Goldschmidt to fly out to end the threat. Barnes also worked the ninth for his second save this year.

The late dramatics overshadowed Nelson’s dominance. The tall right-hander allowed one run on seven hits, three of them by Brandon Drury.

Diamondbacks starter Patrick Corbin (4-5) gave up seven runs on 10 hits.

-Associated Press

D-Backs’ Corbin departs as Brewers own 6-1 lead

Slugger Domingo Santana crushed a grand slam in the fourth inning, and the Brewers put the first two men aboard in the fifth inning against Diamondbacks lefty Patrick Corbin, bringing an early end to his day as Milwaukee had a 6-1 lead in the top of the fifth.

Corbin allowed a pair of singles and a walk in the fourth, loading the bases for Santana, who drilled what appeared to be a high change-up out to right-center field. It was his first career grand slam.

Manny Pina and Jonathan Villar opened the bottom of the fifth with consecutive singles, bringing Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo from the dugout to make a pitching change.

Lovullo had allowed Corbin to hit in the top of the fifth and likely wanted to get as many innings as he could out of the left-hander given that Randall Delgado likely will be on a pitch count of around 75 on Monday afternoon in Pittsburgh.

Brewers score first as D-Backs can’t turn double play

The Diamondbacks were unable to complete a potential inning-ending double play in the first and the Brewers wound up scoring a pair of runs to grab an early 2-0 lead on Sunday afternoon.

With the bases loaded and one out, the Brewers’ Hernan Perez hit what appeared to be a routine double play ball to second baseman Brandon Drury.

But Perez wound up beating shortstop Nick Ahmed’s throw from second, which was in the dirt and dug out by first baseman Daniel Descalso, allowing a run to score. The next batter, Manny Pina, shot a double into the left-field corner to score another run.

Diamondbacks lefty Patrick Corbin gave up a leadoff triple to Keon Broxton then issued walks to the next two batters as the Brewers loaded the bases.

Goldschmidt gets a rest in series finale

First baseman Paul Goldschmidt is out of the lineup on Sunday, the second time this season he’s been given a day off by manager Torey Lovullo, who is trying to keep his players fresh in the midst of 17-day stretch without a day off, including 11 in a row on the road.

“You have to remember that while he’s out there doing his thing, he’s not a machine,” Lovullo said. “He needs moments off of his feet.”

Lovullo liked the idea of putting the off day after Saturday’s late-afternoon game, meaning Goldschmidt is likely to get an extended period of downtime.

The last time Goldschmidt did not start, on April 24, he came back the next day and went 4 for 4 with a home run. Lovullo is hoping things play out similarly this time.

“I think that helps everybody understand the importance of this,” Lovullo said.

Matchup considerations for De La Rosa

Lovullo says he’s aware of left-hander Jorge De La Rosa’s recent issues against right-handed hitters, and that he’s going to take it into consideration as he determines reliever usage late in games.

But he said he doesn’t want to overlook the fact that De La Rosa was effective against right-handed hitters in April before struggling more recently.

“I’m certainly going to take into account that things haven’t been pristine for him,” Lovullo said, “but I don’t want him to get the feeling that we’re running from him or afraid to put him into those situations.

“I believe when he’s at his best he can handle anybody. And I know when he’s a reliever things are a little bit different than what his traditional numbers were as a starter.”

Lovullo was referring to the fact that while De La Rosa had pronounced splits as a starting pitcher, his stuff has ticked up as a reliever, which Lovullo believes gives him a better chance to get righties out.

Short hops

Lovullo said center fielder A.J. Pollock was expected to take Sunday off in his rehab from a groin injury. And though he wouldn’t lay out plans for his return – or even for a potential minor league rehab assignment – Lovullo said that “this will be an important three or four days coming up” in Pollock’s rehab process.

*Right-hander Taijuan Walker will likely throw a simulated game on Tuesday in Pittsburgh, the last step before a potential return to the Diamondbacks’ rotation next weekend against the Marlins. “Everything seems to be progressing the right way,” Lovullo said.

Sunday’s game

When: 11:10 a.m.

Where: Miller Park, Milwaukee.

Pitchers: Diamondbacks LHP Patrick Corbin (4-4, 4.40) vs. Brewers RHP Jimmy Nelson (2-3, 4.20).

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

Corbin posted his first quality start in May on Tuesday against the White Sox, giving up three runs in six innings at Chase Field.

• In four starts this month, Corbin has a 7.77 ERA, with seven homers allowed in 22 innings. He allowed just three home runs in his first six starts.
• Corbin started last year at Miller Park, giving up four runs in five innings. He has a career 3.60 ERA in 30 innings against the Brewers. 

Nelson lasted just five innings, allowing four runs on eight hits and a walk, against the Blue Jays in his most recent start. Prior to that, he’d pitched into the seventh inning in back-to-back outings.

• He’s faced the Diamondbacks four times in his career, allowing 19 runs (12 earned) in 22 innings.
• He has a fastball that sits in the low-to-mid 90s to go with a slider, curveball and change-up. 

Sunday’s lineup

Eric Thames out for Brewers

Brewers first baseman Eric Thames is not in the lineup Sunday, according to the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel.

After leaving Saturday’s game and with his struggles at the plate mounting, Eric Thames is out of the lineup today as the Milwaukee Brewers close out their four-game series with the Arizona Diamondbacks at Miler Park.

Jesús Aguilar takes Thames’ place at first base.

There’s also been some lineup shuffling, with Jonathan Villar dropping from leadoff to seventh, Keon Broxton replacing Villar at the top and Domingo Santana moving into the second spot.

Also, Manny Piña returns to the lineup for the first time since being plunked in the elbow by a pitch on Thursday.

Bullpen session goes smoothly for D-Backs’ Walker

Diamondbacks right-hander Taijuan Walker threw an event-free bullpen session, putting him on target to throw a simulated game on Monday or Tuesday at PNC Park in Pittsburgh, manager Torey Lovullo said.

“He did just fine,” Lovullo said. “Everything is exactly where it should be. I got a little bit of feedback from him as he headed to the training room and he said he felt good.”

Assuming all goes well then, the Diamondbacks could then bring Walker back from the disabled list for a start next weekend in Miami.

“I think a lot of that could be contingent on how he does in his sim game,” Lovullo said in regard to Walker’s specific return date. “We want him back as soon as possible, but we’ve got to make sure he’s OK.”

Staying fresh

Lovullo said Brandon Drury and David Peralta were getting regular days off on Saturday, adding that he’s trying to be even more proactive in scheduling rest for his players given their current 11-game, three-city road trip.

“We’re in the middle of a long, grinding stretch of games,” Lovullo said, “and I think we have to be careful about how much we put guys in there and give them time off their feet.”

He said “nobody is exempt,” hinting that first baseman Paul Goldschmidt could get a day off himself soon, perhaps Sunday

Coming Up

Monday: At Pittsburgh, 1:05 p.m., Diamondbacks TBA vs. Pirates RHP Trevor Williams (2-3, 5.93).

Tuesday: At Pittsburgh, 4:05 p.m., Diamondbacks LHP Robbie Ray (4-3, 3.45) vs. Pirates RHP Ivan Nova (5-3, 2.83). 

Wednesday: At Pittsburgh, 9:35 a.m., Diamondbacks RHP Zack Godley (1-1, 1.99) vs. Pirates RHP Chad Kuhl (1-5, 6.29).