Arizona Diamondbacks, Chicago Cubs meet in Phoenix for weekend series

Peralta homers but Cubs answer quickly

David Peralta’s two-run homer in the bottom of the fifth inning cut the Diamondbacks’ deficit to one, but the Cubs answered in the top of the sixth, connecting for back-to-back homers off right-hander Taijuan Walker. The Cubs led 5-2 after 5 1/2 innings.

Peralta smoked an 0-1 fastball from Cubs right-hander John Lackey on a line into the right field seats. The ball left Peralta’s bat at a blistering 112.8 mph.

Chris Herrmann dribbled an infield single to third with one out in the inning, and after Walker struck on a bunt attempt, Peralta came through with his 11th homer of the year.

Walker, his pitch count at 100, went back out for the sixth and promptly gave the two runs back.

Kyle Schwarber launched a 1-2 fastball onto the overhang to the right of center field and Alex Avila followed by hitting a tape-measure shot of his own, blasting a ball high off the batters’ eye in center.

Cubs jump to early lead over D-Backs

The Chicago Cubs scored a pair of first-inning runs and added another run in the second inning, and they took a 3-0 lead against Taijuan Walker and the Diamondbacks into the third inning on Friday night at Chase Field.

The Cubs took advantage of an uncharacteristically erratic stretch of fastball command from Walker in the first inning. After Ben Zobrist dropped a single into center field to put runners on the corners with two outs, Walker threw eight balls in a nine-pitch span to Kyle Schwarber and Alex Avila, forcing in a run with consecutive walks.

The Cubs added another run in the second on Kris Bryant’s RBI single to score Jon Jay. Walker had two out and two strikes on Jay before hitting him with a breaking ball. Jay proceeded to steal second and score on Bryant’s single to left.

Walker needed 33 pitches in the first inning and was at 52 pitches after two.

Cubs’ Contreras out up to 6 weeks

The Diamondbacks caught a break and the Cubs had a tough one delivered to them on Friday when it was learned before the start of their three-game series at Chase Field that Cubs starting catcher Willson Contreras will be sidelined up to six weeks with a moderate strained right hamstring.

Contreras, who was hitting .274 with 21 home runs and 70 RBIs for the Cubs, suffered the injury while running out a ground ball Wednesday against the Giants and had to be helped off the field.

With Contreras sidelined, the Cubs will rely on Alex Avila with the bulk of the playing time behind the plate. Avila was acquired at the trade deadline from the Tigers. His father, Tigers General Manager Al Aliva, was the one who traded him.

“Been a really good big leaguer for a long time,” Diamondbacks manager Lovullo said of Avila. “We’re very well aware of what Contreras had done to us offensively and defensively and that’s a big miss for them. Hopefully, that will be something we can take advantage of.”

Contreras, who hit five homers in six games before getting hurt, has thrown out 20 would-be base stealers this season and on the base paths could be where the Diamondbacks get a leg up in this series. That could be especially true on Saturday when they face left-hander hander Jon Lester, who allowed a major league-high 44 stolen bases in 2015 and has had issues throwing over to first base.

Lester developed the “yips” and the problem began when he was pitching for the Red Sox. Lester made 70 throws to first base in 2011, but a total of just 12 over the next three following seasons. Lovullo was there for two of those years as Boston’s bench coach.

“I controlled the running game in Boston and I just know that he and I had a nice working relationship about how to control the running game,” Lovullo said. “We developed a menu and we followed the menu and it was never really a big issue at that point in time. I’m not sure what happened. It’s well documented, so I’m aware of it, but I don’t know where it backed up on him.”

Asked what components made up their “menu,” Lovullo said it was based on things Lester felt comfortable doing and not doing.

“How he wanted to hold runners and what particular runners he wanted to pay attention to and what runners he didn’t care about,” Lovullo said. “He could control the running game based on his speed to the plate, his time to the plate and other times he was going throw over. And he did.”

Bradley sees more blue

Diamondbacks reliever Archie Bradley made some headlines the other day when Arizona hosted the Dodgers and he implied he was getting a little sick of seeing the color blue at Chase Field. Well, there was a lot of blue there again on Friday night with the Cubs in town.

“Yeah, I know I talked about that a lot the other day, but at least it’s not divisional blue, you know?” Bradley said, laughing. “It’s the Cubs. It’s different. They’re defending World Series champions. It’s not as bad as the other kind of blue.”

Mr. Media

Before Friday’s game, Lovullo was a guest on MLB Network’s “Intentional Talk” and one of the show’s hosts, 2004 World Series champion Kevin Millar, was at Chase Field to do the interview. Afterward, Lovullo wore a live microphone during Fox Sports Arizona’s broadcast of the game.

“Those guys are always entertaining,” he said of Millar and co-host Chris Rose. “They bring up some real interesting stuff and you’re like, ‘Where do you come up with that?’ They had footage of me playing the game and I’m like, ‘I like that.’ It brought back some good memories.”

As for wearing the mic throughout Friday’s game, Lovullo said he normally shies away from such things because he doesn’t like to “show a lot of myself at that level.”

“But it just seemed like it will bring the fans into the dugout a little bit and see what goes on at the pace it actually happens and it promotes the brand,” he said. “I’m here to help the Arizona Diamondbacks get new fans and I think it’s an interesting part to what we’re trying to do here.”

Short hops

–When the Diamondbacks travel to Houston next week for a two-game series against the Astros, they will be flying there like NASA astronauts heading toward the launch pad. That’s because they are dressing up like spacemen in honor of Houston being home to the Johnson Space Center.

Left fielder David Peralta showed off his flight suit and space helmet on Friday.

“I was searching online for a costume and I found this one so I got it and said, ‘OK, we’re going to do something fun for the trip to Houston, the NASA stop,’ ” he said. “Some of the guys have orange suits and some other things. We’ll see what we come up with.”

–Left-hander Robbie Ray, recovering from a concussion-like symptoms, will pitch a simulated game Saturday at Salt River Fields.

“He’s super excited about that,” Lovullo said. “He said he felt great today.”

–The Diamondbacks on Friday acquired International bonus pool money from the White Sox for minor-league right-hander and former Sun Devil Ryan Burr.

Reach McManaman at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @azbobbymac and listen to him live every Wednesday night between 7-9 on Fox Sports 910-AM on The Freaks with Kenny and Crash.

Catching up with the Chicago Cubs

The Cubs are 16-9 since the All-Star break and have taken over first place in the hotly contested National League Central but they took a big hit Wednesday when catcher Wilson Contreras injured his right hamstring while running to first base. It’s likely Contreras will land on the disabled list.

Chicago’s starting pitching has been hit-and-miss this season; Jake Arrieta is the only starter with double-digit wins. But Chicago did make a big move before the trading deadline to solidify its rotation, acquiring Jose Quintana from the White Sox.

Friday’s game

When: 6:40 p.m.

Where: Chase Field

Pitchers: Diamondbacks Diamondbacks RHP Taijuan Walker (6-5, 3.60) vs. Cubs RHP John Lackey (9-9, 4.81)

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

Walker hasn’t won since June 21, a span of seven starts but that hasn’t been all his fault. Only once has he given up more than three earned runs in a game over that stretch. In his last start he gave up three runs in six innings against San Francisco and left with no decision. Walker has yet to pitch against the Cubs this season. Lackey has been Walker’s opposite: He’s won his last four decision even though in three of those games he lasted just five innings. He’s given up 122 hits in 119 2/3 innings.

Friday’s lineup

Ray could have sim game Saturday

After a 33-pitch bullpen session at Chase Field on Wednesday, Robbie Ray continued to exhibit positive signs of recovery from being struck in the head by a line drive: The left-hander played catch and took batting practice on Thursday.

According to Lovullo, if Ray continues this trend of progression, he could throw a simulated game as early as Saturday.

“The plan is to see how he feels Friday, and we anticipate him continuing to feel how he’s been feeling through this progression,” Lovullo said. “And if that’s the case, he’s going to throw a sim game on Saturday.”

Ray would likely need at least one rehab start before rejoining the big-league team, but Lovullo would not commit to anything beyond the potential sim game. The Diamondbacks are taking every precaution to make sure their All-Star pitcher returns when he’s good and ready.

“We miss Robbie. We know what he’s going to offer us, and we’re excited to get him back as soon as possible,” Lovullo said.  “But we have to be 100 percent certain that the time is right.”

Coming up

Saturday: At Chase Field, 5:10 p.m., Diamondbacks LHP Patrick Corbin (8-11, 4.76) vs. Cubs LHP Jon Lester (8-6, 3.97)

Sunday: At Chase Field, 1:10 p.m., Diamondbacks RHP Zack Godley (5-4, 2.94) vs. Cubs RHP Jake Arrieta (11-8, 3.83)

Monday: At Chase Field, 6:40 p.m., Diamondbacks RHP Zack Greinke (13-5, 3.14) vs. Astros TBD

MORE D-BACKS: Brandon Drury’s journey from Opening Day starter to the bench

MORE D-BACKS: Lovullo will play regulars more down the stretch