Diamondbacks Bullpen Spoils a Purple Celebration at Chase Field

Cristian Mena came on in relief in the third inning with the bases loaded and five runs already in to strike out Freddie Freeman to keep the game within striking distance. He took the game all the way into the top of the seventh, recording 11 outs and walking just one batter and striking out five. It was a fabulous performance for the rookie, giving his team a chance to get back in the game.

Jalen Beeks finished off the seventh for Mena, and Miller worked around a single and stolen base in the eighth before handing things off to Ginkel.

The initial hole was dug by Eduardo Rodriguez, who had another terrible start.

For the second time in three outing, Rodriguez gave up eight runs, this time in 2.2 innings. A disastrous five-run third inning chased the veteran left-hander from the game. While there was a lot of hard contact, it was perhaps Rodriguez's apparent disinterest in fielding a bunt from Chris Taylor that might have stuck out the most.

The Dodgers had his number from the outset. The first four balls hit in the first inning off the lefty were all over 100 MPH, including a double high off the center field wall by Ohtani. Somehow the Dodgers only scored one run in that frame.

The D-backs answered with three runs in the bottom half of the inning with Marte's first homer and Eugenio Suarez two-run blast. That was an opposite-field homer over the pool in right field, and was his eleventh of the year.

Rodriguez immediately let the good fortune slip through his hands. He gave up a long homer to nemesis Enrique Hernandez and an RBI double to Ohtani, tying the game at 3-3. By the time the top of the third inning had ended Rodriguez had a line of 2.2 innings, 9 hits, 8 earned runs, 3 walks and 3 strikeouts. His season ERA now sits at 7.30 and there can be no more talk of bad luck.

As bad as Rodriguez was, this was a winnable game that once again exposed just how depleted and dreadful the Diamondbacks' bullpen. Ever since A.J. Puk went down on April 18 and Justin Martinez began a dead arm phase at the same time, the bullpen has a 7.54 ERA.

It's an untenable situation for a team with Postseason aspirations. Their record is now 20-19, and they're only 2.5 games out of the Wild Card. But Martinez is at least a week away from returning, in not more. Puk is out until June 18 at the least.

Game three of the series is Saturday night. Corbin Burnes, who missed his last start with a sore shoulder, will face Dustin May of the Dodger. Game time is 5:10 p.m.