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Boston Red Sox infielder Trevor Story (10) gets caught in a rundown by Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Tyler Locklear (28) during the seventh inning at Chase Field on Sept. 7, 2025. Michael Chow/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

D-backs' Manager Had Blunt Message After Nightmare Inning

Originally posted on Arizona Diamondbacks on SI
By Alex D'Agostino | Last updated Sep 7, 2025 8:25 PM ET

The Arizona Diamondbacks cost themselves a needed sweep on Sunday afternoon, as a nightmarish seventh-inning defensive breakdown flipped a 3-1 lead into a 4-3 deficit and eventual 7-4 loss to the Boston Red Sox.

Right-hander Ryan Thompson hit Trevor Story with a pitch, but initiated what looked to be a successful pickoff attempt.

First baseman Tyler Locklear then overran Story and made a poor throw to second base, leaving the runner safe at second. Jordan Lawlar then made an arguable misplay on a single before bobbling a routine grounder and committing a throwing error. That led to two runs scoring.

Manager Torey Lovullo, who just recently emphasized Arizona's "bothersome" infield defense, was not happy with Sunday's result.

Arizona Diamondbacks' Torey Lovullo Reacts to Nightmare Inning

Torey Lovullo on rundown, bad defense

"You can't do the things that I saw us do out there on the field today," Lovullo said.

"We've got to execute at a much higher level. We have been and that's why we've been winning games. And when you make plays like we made today and give a good team five outs in one inning, you're not going to win a lot of baseball games.

"It's September baseball, we're chasing something, it's got to be crisp. It's got to be focused, it has to be preparedness, readiness, and the ability to execute at the most critical times in the game. We didn't do that today. That's perfectly clear," Lovullo said.

Lovullo called it "as frustrating a game as I've seen in months," and emphasized that Arizona's effort on Sunday went against the identity the team has built.

"That's unacceptable. ... That is not our style of baseball, and we're going to talk about it, and we've got to tighten that up. ... The disappointment is mighty, but we've got to accept what happened and understand why it happened and tighten it down and go out and play better baseball than that," he said.

Lovullo said rundowns are something the D-backs practice cleanly, and the failed attempt was the crucial momentum-shifter in Sunday's loss.

"We practice, talk about and preach one-throw rundowns. A lot of it was looking good, and then we were just late delivering the baseball. That's what it comes down to," he said.

"Locklear's new to the organization, we practice that stuff a lot. I think we're very efficient at it. You don't see stuff like that happen a lot when it comes to rundowns with this team. In my opinion, that was where the game switched right there."

Lawlar later took accountability for his mistakes in front of reporters.

"I was trying to knock [the ball] down at worst, and then if possible make a play on it. I mean, I always want to catch the ball and throw the ball like I said earlier, and I will do that next time I'm out there," he said.

The Diamondbacks are still alive in an extremely improbable playoff race, but innings like Sunday's seventh can't happen if Arizona wants to preserve their postseason aspirations.