how to watch, updates, analysis

The Diamondbacks finish up the regular season with a matinee game against the Royals. Follow along here for updates, news and analysis throughout the afternoon. 

Gregor Blanco had three hits, two walks and three stolen bases, Jeremy Hazelbaker hit a three-run homer in the fifth off starter Jason Vargas as the Diamondbacks rolled to a 14-2 win over the Royals to finish the regular season. 

Anthony Banda (2-3) picked up the win in relief. Silvino Bracho struck out five in 1 2/3 scoreless innings.

– Associated Press

Marte departs with hamstring tightness

Diamondbacks shortstop Ketel Marte left Sunday’s game in the top of the sixth inning with left hamstring tightness. Besides that, the severity of the injury is unclear, but it could be a concern only days before Wednesday’s wild-card game against the Colorado Rockies.

Marte hit a slow grounder to shortstop that he legged out for an infield single but was removed from the game shortly after.

Adam Rosales is likely next in line in the shortstop pecking order for the Diamondbacks, though Chris Owings is expected to play in instructional league games on Monday and Tuesday as he works his way back from a fractured right middle finger.

D-Backs score 4 in the fifth

Jeremy Hazelbaker connected for a three-run homer to cap a four-run fifth inning for the Diamondbacks, who took a 6-2 lead over the Royals on Sunday afternoon.

Hazelbaker, who entered the game in right field in place of J.D. Martinez, hit the first pitch he saw from Royals left-hander Jason Vargas out to right field for his second homer of the season.

Gregor Blanco led off the inning with his second hit of the day, stole second and third, then scored on Ildemaro Vargas’ RBI single.

Iannetta homers as D-Backs lead

Chris Iannetta connected for a solo homer and Jake Lamb drove in another run with a sacrifice fly as the Diamondbacks lead the Royals 2-1 after 3 1/2 innings in the regular-season finale on Sunday afternoon.

Diamondbacks lefty Robbie Ray threw just 1 2/3 innings and 23 pitches as the club made sure he’d be available in relief on Wednesday if needed in the wild card game against the Colorado Rockies.

The Royals’ Eric Hosmer connected for an opposite-field homer in the first inning, a blast that comes in what might be his final game with Kansas City.

Royals fans have been giving big ovations throughout the day to Hosmer, Mike Moustakas, Lorenzo Cain and Alcides Escobar.

Archie Bradley hit hard in recent outings

Archie Bradley isn’t heading into the postseason on a high note. The Diamondbacks’ most dominant reliever throughout the season has given up five runs on nine hits and three walks in four innings over his past three appearances.

Bradley gave up the go-ahead homer in the sixth inning on Sunday night to the Royals’ Jorge Bonifacio, who drove a 1-2 fastball clocked at 98 mph out to left field at Kauffman Stadium.

“I felt good,” Bradley said. “Velocity was there, just wasn’t really executing pitches.”

The Diamondbacks have been giving Bradley extended appearances as a way to prepare him for the postseason, when they expect to ask him to go multiple innings more often than he did during the regular season. He’s thrown 38 and 37 pitches in his past two outings but has recorded just five and four outs, respectively.

“For me it’s just a reminder that I’m not invincible,” Bradley said. “Guys can hit pitches. Guys are going to hit pitches out of the park. And, so, with the type of games we’re playing and the type of situations I’m going to be pitching in, I’m just going to have to make better pitches.”

Peralta sits with neck/back tightness

Outfielder David Peralta, who left Saturday’s game after six innings due to tightness in his neck and back, was out of the lineup on Sunday, but manager Torey Lovullo said he has no concerns about Peralta’s availability for Wednesday’s wild card game against the Colorado Rockies.

Peralta woke up Saturday morning dealing with stiffness but was able to play after receiving treatment during the day. The tightness popped up again during the game, particularly after he dived for a Lorenzo Cain single in the of the sixth.

“We’ve all had those moments pop up where you have a bad night’s rest where you wake up with a stiff neck or a stiff back,” Lovullo said. “I think the dive yesterday maybe banged him up a little bit more.”

He added: “If he had to play, he could. The doctors felt like it was the best idea to give him time off.”

Sherfy looking unlikely for wild card game

Right-hander Jimmie Sherfy played what looked like a light game of catch on the field on Sunday afternoon but wasn’t expected to pitch in Sunday’s game, and he’s appears a long shot to make the wild card game roster due to right triceps tightness.

Sherfy, who hasn’t pitched since last weekend, would need to appear in a game prior to Wednesday in order for the Diamondbacks to feel comfortable putting him on the roster. That leaves the instructional league as his last-ditch option.

And since Lovullo said the Diamondbacks probably wouldn’t ask Sherfy to pitch on back-to-back days, that means he would have to pitch on Monday.

Since his throwing session on Sunday appeared to be far from game speed – well short of even a bullpen session – it seems unlikely that he would pitch in a game environment on Monday.

“I’m an optimistic person, living in the clouds and the rainbows, and I’m holding out hope his name will cross the conversation as healthy,” Lovullo said. “(But) time is winding down.”

Short hops

Lovullo said there is a scenario in which all five of the Diamondbacks starting pitchers are on the wild card roster. “It’s a possibility,” he said.

*In advance of the wild card game, the Diamondbacks will hold workouts in the afternoons on Monday and Tuesday at Chase Field.

Sunday’s game

Diamondbacks at Royals

When: 12:15 p.m.

Where: Kauffman Stadium, Kansas City.

Pitchers: Diamondbacks LHP Robbie Ray (15-5, 2.86) vs. Royals LHP Jason Vargas (17-10, 4.03).

TV/Radio: FSAZ/KTAR-AM (620), KSUN-AM (1400).

Ray is expected to make an abbreviated outing, a start to keep him from getting rusty with the playoffs starting soon. If he’s needed Wednesday in the wild card game or doesn’t pitch again until the division series, the Diamondbacks did not want him inactive for too long. … Ray gave up two runs (none earned) in five innings against the Giants in his most recent start. He had allowed five runs in 4 1/3 innings against the Padres in the start before that. … Vargas made his first All-Star team this season but has not pitched well in the second half, logging a 5.97 ERA in 14 starts. … He has thrown better recently, however, with a 2.01 ERA in his past four. … He gave up one run on five hits and one walk in six innings against the Tigers on Tuesday.