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    Shot Clock: Robbie Ray brings intensity to mound

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On his 52nd birthday, Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo had a decision to make.

It was the kind of decision managers make thousands of times over the course of a baseball season. Some work out. Some don’t.

This one didn’t, and it was the biggest takeaway from Arizona’s 8-3 loss to the Atlanta Braves Tuesday at Chase Field.

The situation: The game was tied 2-2 in the bottom of the sixth and the Diamondbacks had runners on first and second with one out against Atlanta starter Mike Foltynewicz. Lovullo’s decision: Let pitcher Taijuan Walker hit or lift him for a pinch-hitter.

Walker had pitched brilliantly up to that point, allowing just three hits and one earned run. He was at 92 pitches, not a staggering number given he has thrown as many as 117 in a start this year. Also, Walker already had a single and a solo homer off Foltynewicz, the homer a 455-foot bomb to left field that was the second-longest by a pitcher since 2015.

Lovullo didn’t hesitate. He pinch-hit infielder Ketel Marte for Walker. His reasoning: The Diamondbacks were “thin” in the bullpen and he wanted to score in the inning and turn the game over to Archie Bradley and Fernando Rodney.

“I knew he (Walker) wasn’t going to go very much longer, probably one more inning,” Lovullo said. “He did what he could. I wanted to get to Foltynewicz and break the game open. … I felt that was our best opportunity to score some runs.”

Lovullo said he wasn’t influenced by Walker’s last start, the July 14 game in Atlanta when he left Walker in with runners on first and second, Walker grounded into a double play and then gave up a homer to Freddie Freeman in the bottom of the sixth.

“I know they were extremely similar situations,” Lovullo said. “I manage games independently from one another.”

Walker said he understood Lovullo’s reasoning.

“We were kind of in that situation last time against the Braves and we have so many clutch guys on the bench ready to hit,” he said. “It was the right move.”

Marte did everything he could to make Lovullo look good. He put together a terrific at-bat, fouling off pitch after pitch before finally striking out on the 11th offering from Foltynewicz. But after David Peralta struck out, the threat ended with the game tied and Lovullo had to turn to his bullpen in the seventh.

That’s when it all fell apart.

Right-hander J.J. Hoover gave up three hits and four earned runs – three earned – in just 1/3 of an inning. Just like that it was 6-2 and the game was over.

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Wednesday’s game

When: 12:40 p.m.

Where: Chase Field.

Pitchers: Diamondbacks LHP Patrick Corbin (7-9, 4.43) vs. Braves RHP Aaron Blair (6-5, 4.86).*

TV/Radio: FSAZ/KTAR-AM (620), KHOV-FM (105.1).

Corbin has had most of his success this season at home, going 5-3 with a 3.15 ERA at Chase Field; he has a 2.41 ERA over his last three starts at home. … The lefty was solid in his last appearance, giving up just one earned run in 7 1/3 innings in an emergency start last Thursday after right-hander Taijuan Walker was placed on the paternity leave list for the birth of his first child. … Corbin is 3-0 with a 0.59 ERA in six career games against the Braves. … This will be Blair’s season debut for the Braves; he’s winless in his last three minor-league starts. … Blair went 2-7 with a 7.59 ERA in 15 games with the Braves last season. … He was acquired by Atlanta in the Shelby Miller trade with the Diamondbacks in 2015.

Coming up

Thursday: At Busch Stadium, 4:15 p.m., Diamondbacks RHP Zack Godley (3-4, 3.32) vs. Cardinals RHP Adam Wainwright (11-5, 4.89).

Friday: At Busch Stadium, 5:15 p.m., Diamondbacks LHP Robbie Ray (9-5, 3.15) vs. Cardinals RHP Michael Wacha (7-4, 3.93).

Saturday: At Busch Stadium, 4:15 p.m., Diamondbacks RHP Zack Greinke (12-4, 2.92) vs. Cardinals RHP Mike Leake (7-8, 3.20).

* = statistics with Triple-A Gwinnett