Merrill Kelly Labors in D-backs Loss to Padres

A Sunday Father's day crowd of 42,676 packed Chase Field in anticipation of a possible sweep by the Diamondbacks of the San Diego Padres. The D-backs had just recorded a thrilling five-run, bottom of the ninth comeback victory the night before.

But Arizona's offense came out flat, Merrill Kelly had a rare off game, and the bullpen couldn't keep it close. It all resulted in a 8-2 loss.

San Diego out-hit the Diamondbacks 13 to three, and got seven strong innings from their starter Nick Pivetta, who gave up just two hits and struck out nine. The Padres bullpen struck out 5 more batters, giving Arizona hitters 14 for the game. The top three in the order, Corbin Carroll, Ketel Marte, and Geraldo Perdomo, went 0-for-12 with seven of those strikeouts.

Kelly worked efficiently through the first three innings, needing just 39 pitches to record nine outs. He gave up three singles, but to no ill effect.

Something happened between the third and fourth inning however. His pace noticeably slowed down, almost looking like a pitcher does when laboring in the late innings. He walked leadoff man Gavin Sheets, then gave up an RBI double to Xander Bogaerts.

Jake Cronenworth followed with a 10-pitch at bat, draining Kelly, before finally drilling a two-run homer to put the Padres up 3-0. Kelly needed 32 pitches to complete the inning. He would give up another run in the fifth on a single by Fernando Tatis Jr. and a double by Luis Arráez.

Kelly's afternoon ended after five innings and 93 pitches thrown, 67 for strikes. He gave up seven hits, a walk, and struck out seven. He left the game trailing 4-0 when he handed it off to the bullpen.

The D-backs finally got on the board against Pivetta thanks to Eugenio Suarez's 21st homer of the year. Josh Naylor had walked to break up a perfect game in the bottom of the fifth and Suarez followed with a 437-foot blast to the home run porch in left center.