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Torey Lovullo and Robbie Ray discuss Diamondbacks’ loss to Nationals
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Anthony Banda talks about his MLB debut
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Lovullo reacts to the D-Backs’ loss to the Nationals
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Diamondbacks edge Nationals in walk-off win
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Diamondbacks introduce J.D. Martinez at Chase Field
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Torey Lovullo on Corbin’s outing, series victory vs. Reds
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Patrick Corbin on his strong start vs. Reds
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J.D. Martinez talks about getting hit by a pitch vs. Reds
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Manager Torey Lovullo on loss to Reds, Martinez’s injury
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Zack Greinke on his outing vs. Reds
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Shot Clock: D-Backs seize moment with trade
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Torey Lovullo on D-Backs’ win over Reds, acquisition of J.D. Martinez
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Shot Clock: Robbie Ray brings intensity to mound
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Shot Clock: D-Backs fear Cubs; ASU’s hot seat
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Torey Lovullo after D-Backs’ fifth straight loss
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Zack Godley on rough start vs. Braves
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Patrick Corbin goes five innings vs. Braves
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Randall Delgado on Braves’ four-run, go-ahead rally
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Torey Lovullo after D-Backs lose again vs. Braves
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Torey Lovullo talks D-Backs’ strategy in loss to Braves
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Taijuan Walker on his night vs. Braves
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Shot Clock: D-Backs’ trade deadline ideas
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Shot Clock: Playoffs for D-Backs and Suns?
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Diamondbacks fall 2-1 to Reds
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Lovullo on the Diamondbacks’ loss to the Reds
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Diamondbacks hold off Reds for 6-3 win
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Shot Clock: 1 more chance for D-Backs’ Rodney?
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Fernando Rodney after blown save vs. Dodgers
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Torey Lovullo after Dodgers sweep D-Backs in LA
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Robbie Ray on his outing, tough loss vs. Dodgers
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Torey Lovullo on D-Backs’ second consecutive loss in LA
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Zack Godley talks about his outing vs. Dodgers.
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Gregor Blanco after D-Backs’ loss to Dodgers
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Shot Clock: How should Suns, D-Backs prioritize improvement?
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Chris Owings on Kershaw’s night, D-Backs’ late push
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Torey Lovullo on D-Backs’ late push in loss vs. Dodgers
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Dodgers vs D-Backs preview
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Lovullo, Marte, Walker discuss D-Backs’ walk-off win
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Four Diamondbacks react to making NL All-Star team
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Archie Bradley on D-Backs’ win over Rockies
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Zack Greinke on his effective outing vs. Rockies
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Robbie Ray on his outing in loss vs. Rockies
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Chris Owings homers twice in loss to Rockies
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Torey Lovullo talks loss to Cardinals
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D-Backs GM on Chase Field humidor being pushed back
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Lovullo, Godley reflect on D-Backs’ close loss
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Tony La Russa reflects on his baseball life
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Torey Lovullo shares Tomas, Pollock, Ahmed injury updates
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Chris Herrmann walks it off for D-Backs
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D-Backs’ Torey Lovullo: “They fight until the final out”
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Chris Herrmann on first career leadoff home run
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Zack Greinke on outing vs. Phillies
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Torey Lovullo on D-Backs’ offensive execution in win
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Diamondbacks-Phillies recap – June 26
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Diamondbacks walk off Philies in extra innings
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Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Philadelphia Phillies | June 25, 2017
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Ray on his outing against the Phillies
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Torey Lovullo on Diamondbacks’ loss to Phillies
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Lovullo discusses the Diamondbacks’ win over the Phillies
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Torey Lovullo after D-Backs win series vs. Rockies
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Paul Goldschmidt on D-Backs’ offensive outburst
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Zack Godley on strong outing at Coors Field
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D-Backs’ Taijuan Walker on win over Rockies
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Torey Lovullo after blowout win vs. Rockies
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Torey Lovullo on decision to stick with Zack Greinke
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Zack Greinke after loss vs. Rockies
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D-Backs suffer tough loss in Denver
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Shot Clock: D-Backs, Rockies set for showdown
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Torey Lovullo on Rey Fuentes’ go-ahead homer
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Rey Fuentes on hitting his first career home run
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Robbie Ray on his outing vs. Phillies
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Manager Torey Lovullo after D-Backs’ sixth consecutive win
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Jake Lamb on D-Backs’ latest win over Phillies
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Torey Lovullo talks about his late father’s support, guidance
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Torey Lovullo on his father’s job in television
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Torey Lovullo on D-Backs’ come-from-behind win over Phillies
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Gregor Blanco discusses his game-tying homer vs. Phillies
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Patrick Corbin on his performance vs. Phillies
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Torey Lovullo on D-Backs’ latest one-run win
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Taijuan Walker on his first outing back from the disabled list
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David Peralta on his go-ahead homer in win over Tigers
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Torey Lovullo after D-Backs’ win over Tigers
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Robbie Ray on D-Backs’ win over Brewers
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Paul Goldschmidt on grand slam, offensive outburst
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Godley on taking advantage of opportunity after D-Backs win
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Torey Lovullo after D-Backs’ win over Brewers
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Randall Delgado on his rough outing against Brewers
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Lovullo on Diamondbacks’ loss to Brewers
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Chris Iannetta on his career-high 7 RBIs vs. Padres
The Diamondbacks’ season has been filled with starring roles from supporting actors, players who stepped in to give a regular a day off and delivered big games. Manager Torey Lovullo was hoping for more such contributions on Sunday. He did not receive them.
The Washington Nationals’ 6-2 win completed another series loss for the Diamondbacks. It was their 14th loss in the past 20 games. By the end of the night, their wild-card lead was reduced to 4 1/2 games.
This loss felt particularly frustrating. They had lefty Robbie Ray, one of their top starters, on the mound, but watched as he was hit around in the first inning. They had to face right-hander Stephen Strasburg for just two innings – he was lifted because he was having trouble getting loose – but managed just two runs in seven innings against a beleaguered Nationals bullpen.
They had a slew of scoring opportunities in the middle-to-late innings that went uncashed. And they lost for the second consecutive day without unleashing their best lineup.
On Saturday, slugger Paul Goldschmidt was left out of the starting lineup. Third baseman Jake Lamb and center fielder A.J. Pollock were on the bench Sunday. The days off haven’t been out of the ordinary with Lovullo in charge; what was unusual was the team’s inability to overcome them.
“There’s times when we’re going to be minus guys because of the off days, because of the day game after the night game,” Lovullo said. “Sometimes you can’t avoid moments like today where we miss a couple of really good players.”
The Diamondbacks went hitless in their last seven at-bats with men in scoring position over the final five innings. With two runs already in, they had first and third with one out in the fifth but couldn’t add on. They had second and third with one out an inning later but came up empty. Then in the seventh, they had two on and two out but again couldn’t find a big hit.
“You can’t expect to get it done 100 percent of the time,” said Pollock, who entered the game in the sixth as part of a double-switch and struck out in a key moment later that inning. “Obviously, you want to get the job done and expect to get the job done, but you have to get back at it the next time.”
The Diamondbacks trailed from the first batter of the game. Brian Goodwin led off with a 448-foot homer off Ray to straightaway center field. After a walk and four more hits, the Nationals had made it 4-0, capitalizing on Ray’s shoddy command.
“I feel like my timing was just a little off today and it just allowed me to not be able to hit my spots,” Ray said. “In the bullpen, everything was clicking, it went well, and then sometimes it’s going to happen where you get in a game, and you’re not going to be able to find it.”
The four runs were the most Ray had allowed in an inning all season. He finished with five runs in five innings, managing to last that long despite needing 39 pitches in the first.
For the Diamondbacks, perhaps the day’s most encouraging development came when J.D. Martinez drew a walk as a pinch-hitter in the seventh, his first game action since being hit by a pitch on the left hand on Wednesday night in Cincinnati.
In Lovullo’s eyes, it was a sign of what’s to come. He hopes to write Martinez’s name into his lineup on Monday night against the Atlanta Braves, perhaps running out the sort of fully charged group of hitters the club envisioned when it acquired the slugger from Detroit in a blockbuster deal last week.
But Lovullo believes the absences of Goldschmidt, Lamb and Pollock the past two days, though perhaps detrimental in the short term, will pay off over the long haul.
“I know we’re getting very close to being at full strength,” Lovullo said. “We’ll see what type of dividends that rest gives us this coming week. That’s really how I schedule it. We’re going to sacrifice moments right now to create some good moments in the future. So we’ll see. We’ll see.”
Reach Piecoro at (602) 444-8680 or [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @nickpiecoro.
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