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Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo talks about his team’s defensive miscues and infielder Daniel Descalso’s relief appearance.
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Diamondbacks lefty Patrick Corbin says he made too many mistakes against the Cubs on Tuesday night at Wrigley Field.
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azcentral sports’ Jay Dieffenbach and J.J. Hensley discuss the changes with the Diamondbacks.
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Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo talks about his team’s 3-2 loss on Sunday and Chris Owings’ fractured finger.
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Diamondbacks right-hander Taijuan Walker talks about the mistakes he made in a 3-2 loss to the Cardinals on Sunday.
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Diamondbacks lefty Robbie Ray talks about what he remembers from Friday night, when he was struck on the head by a line drive in the second inning.
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Diamondbacks right-hander Zack Greinke talks about his performance in a 7-1 win over the Cardinals on Saturday night.
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Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo talks about his team’s all-around performance, including Zack Greinke’s seven strong innings, in a win over the Cardinals.
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Lovullo on Robbie Ray’s condition after getting hit in the head by a line drive.
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Diamondbacks infielder Daniel Descalso talks about the line drive that struck Robbie Ray, and how he was able to catch it after the ball ricocheted in the air.
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azcentral sports’ Sarah McLellan and Jay Dieffenbach discuss the Diamondbacks in our Shot Clock video.
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Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo discusses J.D. Martinez’s grand slam and Zack Godley’s seven shutout innings in a win over the Cardinals.
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Newly acquired Diamondbacks slugger J.D. Martinez on his play in Wednesday’s win.
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The Diamondbacks’ Ketel Marte talks about his inside-the-park home run in Wednesday’s win.
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Torey Lovullo talks about his team’s win against the Braves.
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Manager Torey Lovullo and right-hander Taijuan Walker react to the loss.
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Martinez: “It’s kind of hard not to [press],” he said. “You just kind of want to get here and show people what you want to do.”
Ricky Morin/azcsports
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Lovullo: “He was in command from start to finish.”
Ricky Morin/azcsports
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Greinke: “My command was as good as it’s been in awhile.”
Ricky Morin/azcsports
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Manager Torey Lovullo and left-hander Robbie Ray discuss the team’s 6-2 loss to Nationals on Sunday at Chase Field.
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Anthony Banda talks about his MLB debut in the Diamondbacks’ loss to the Nationals.
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Torey Lovullo on the Diamondbacks’ loss to Washington.
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Manager Torey Lovullo, second baseman Brandon Drury and center fielder A.J. Pollock react to the 6-5 win.
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Right fielder J.D. Martinez was introduced at Chase Field on Friday.
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Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo talks about a 12-2 win over the Reds on Thursday in which Patrick Corbin went 7 1/3 innings.
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Diamondbacks left-hander Patrick Corbin talks about pitching against the Reds on short notice on Thursday in Cincinnati.
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Diamondbacks slugger J.D. Martinez talks about how his left hand feels after he was hit by a pitch on Wednesday night against the Reds.
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Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo talks about his team’s 4-3 loss to the Reds on Wednesday night and the hit-by-pitch on new slugger J.D. Martinez.
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Diamondbacks right-hander Zack Greinke says his location on Wednesday night wasn’t as good as it has been in previous starts.
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azcentral sports’ Greg Moore and Jay Dieffenbach talk about the Diamondbacks trade for J.D. Martinez and what it means.
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Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo talks about his team’s offensive breakout on Tuesday and about the potential impact of newly acquired slugger J.D. Martinez.
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azcentral sports’ Greg Moore and Mark Faller discuss Robbie Ray pitching for Diamondbacks and Josh Jackson’s transition to the Suns.
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azcentral sports’ Jay Dieffenbach and Doug Haller weigh in on the Diamondbacks and ASU football in our Shot Clock video.
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Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo talks about Zack Godley’s performance on Sunday in a 7-1 loss to the Atlanta Braves.
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Torey Lovullo on miscues, Descalso’s pitching in 16-4 loss to Cubs
Patrick Corbin on rough outing vs. Cubs
Shot Clock: Who’s at shortstop for D-Backs?
Torey Lovullo on loss to Cardinals, injury to Owings
Taijuan Walker on his mistakes vs. Cardinals
Robbie Ray talks about the line drive that hit him
D-Backs’ Zack Greinke on outing vs. Cardinals
Torey Lovullo on D-Backs’ 7-1 win over Cardinals
D-Backs manager Tony Lovullo on Robbie Ray’s condition
Daniel Descalso on liner that hit Robbie Ray
Shot Clock: Focus key for J.D. Martinez
Torey Lovullo on Martinez’s grand slam, Godley’s outing
J.D. Martinez on strong performance in win
Ketel Marte on his inside-the-park home run
Lovullo talks about the D-Backs’ 10-3 win over Atlanta
Diamondbacks fall 8-3 to Braves
J.D. Martinez on playing in the NL, seeing new pitching
Lovullo raves about Greinke’s outing vs. Braves
Zack Greinke discusses outing vs. Braves
Torey Lovullo and Robbie Ray discuss Diamondbacks’ loss to Nationals
Anthony Banda talks about his MLB debut
Lovullo reacts to the D-Backs’ loss to the Nationals
Diamondbacks edge Nationals in walk-off win
Diamondbacks introduce J.D. Martinez at Chase Field
Torey Lovullo on Corbin’s outing, series victory vs. Reds
Patrick Corbin on his strong start vs. Reds
J.D. Martinez talks about getting hit by a pitch vs. Reds
Manager Torey Lovullo on loss to Reds, Martinez’s injury
Zack Greinke on his outing vs. Reds
Shot Clock: D-Backs seize moment with trade
Torey Lovullo on D-Backs’ win over Reds, acquisition of J.D. Martinez
Shot Clock: Robbie Ray brings intensity to mound
Shot Clock: D-Backs fear Cubs; ASU’s hot seat
Torey Lovullo after D-Backs’ fifth straight loss
CHICAGO – For months, the Diamondbacks padded their record by feasting on the soft underbelly of the National League, compiling an impressive record against losing teams. Things have not come as easily when the going has gotten tough, which is what makes the month of August a compelling test for a club with playoff aspirations.
The Diamondbacks opened the toughest portion of their schedule on Tuesday night by turning in their ugliest loss of the year, a 16-4 drubbing at the hands of the Chicago Cubs. They trailed 2-0 after the first, 6-0 after two and 8-1 after three. They coughed up a seven-spot in the sixth inning. The performance was at least as ugly as the score would suggest, if not worse.
BOX SCORE: Cubs 16, Diamondbacks 4
Over the remaining 30 days of the month, the Diamondbacks will play 28 games. Fifteen of them will come against over .500 teams, a caliber of opponent against whom the Diamondbacks are just 19-20 this season. But they aren’t just playing good teams. They’re playing what might be the best teams baseball has to offer.
Tuesday’s was the first of six against the Chicago Cubs, who not only are the reigning champs but are 14-3 since the All-Star break. They have six against the Los Angeles Dodgers, who, at 75-31, have baseball’s best record and just added Yu Darvish to their rotation. And they have four against the Houston Astros, who despite a recent slump own the best record in the American League.
“I think every series is a big series, every game is a big game,” Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said Tuesday afternoon. “That’s how we’ve been taking them all year long, not to take anything for granted. We want to go out there and earn things. What better place can you test yourself than against the defending World Series champions in a great environment?”
If Tuesday were a test, the Diamondbacks did not score well. Anthony Rizzo clobbered a pair of home runs, one of five the Cubs would hit on the night. Even opposing pitcher Jon Lester went deep, hitting one of three left-hander Patrick Corbin served up in his three innings.
“We all know what type of team they are,” said Corbin, who allowed eight runs (seven earned) on 10 hits and a walk. “I just didn’t have it tonight. I’ve got to get better, go out there and work. It starts with fastball command and that was something that I lacked tonight.”
The Diamondbacks’ defense did not help matters. Brandon Drury, getting the start at third base for the first time this season, had a potential Kris Bryant double-play ball shoot through his legs in the second. Newcomer Adam Rosales, acquired after the Diamondbacks lost two shortstops in a matter of hours on Sunday, booted another possible double play in the seventh. Both miscues played a part in big innings for the Cubs.
Lovullo managed to find a couple of bright spots. The Diamondbacks made Lester work, chasing him three batters into the fifth after 104 pitches. They also got a perfect eighth inning from infielder/outfielder/relief pitcher Daniel Descalso, who induced three consecutive fly-ball outs.
“I know the guys were laughing and joking as he came into the dugout,” Lovullo said. “You’re looking for moments like that in games like this.”
The Diamondbacks pride themselves on their ability to compartmentalize losses, on turning the page and starting fresh the next day. They have had to do it a lot lately. They’re 10-18 since June 28, and they lost a game off their lead on a wild-card spot; they lead the Milwaukee Brewers by 4 1/2 games.
“We’ll see how this team responds tomorrow,” Lovullo said. “They’ve done it all year long.”
RELATED: David Hernandez happy to be back in Diamondbacks ‘family’
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Reach Piecoro at (602) 444-8680 or [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @nickpiecoro.
Wednesday’s game
Diamondbacks at Cubs
When: 5:05 p.m.
Where: Wrigley Field, Chicago.
Pitchers: Diamondbacks RHP Zack Godley (4-4, 3.06) vs. Cubs RHP Jake Arrieta (10-7, 4.03).
TV/Radio: FSAZ/KTAR-AM (620), KHOV-FM (105.1).
In a season filled with good starts, Godley is coming off perhaps his best of the year. He gave up just four hits and two walks in seven scoreless innings against the Cardinals at Busch Stadium. … It snapped a two-start skid in which he’d given up 11 runs (10 earned) in 11 2/3 innings. … Godley, who was drafted by the Cubs in the 10th round in 2013 and traded to the Diamondbacks in the C Miguel Montero deal, has faced his original organization just once, giving up six runs in 3 2/3 innings in 2015. … Arrieta had a 5.44 ERA on May 14 but has logged a 3.20 ERA in 13 starts since, including posting a 2.25 ERA in five starts in July. … He has had trouble this year against left-handed hitters, who have an .801 OPS against him. … 1B Paul Goldschmidt is 4 for 13 (.308) with one double and one home run off Arrieta but Diamondbacks hitters as a whole have hit .205/.233/.289 career against him.
Coming up
Thursday: At Chicago, 11:20 a.m., Diamondbacks RHP Zack Greinke (13-4, 2.84) vs. Cubs LHP Jose Quintana (6-6, 3.88).
Friday: At San Francisco, 7:15 p.m., Diamondbacks RHP Taijuan Walker (6-5, 3.55) vs. Giants LHP Madison Bumgarner (1-4, 2.92).
Saturday: At San Francisco, 6:05 p.m., Diamondbacks TBA vs. Giants RHP Matt Cain (3-9, 5.37).
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