After sweep of Atlanta, D-backs swept in Cincy to end tough trip

CINCINNATI -- What a difference a series can make. The Diamondbacks were getting timely hits, making key plays and getting the right breaks at the right time, sweeping the Braves in Atlanta.

Such was not the case at Great American Ball Park over a lost weekend as the Reds swept the Diamondbacks. The series finale ended 4-2 on Sunday afternoon. The chance for a winning road trip was washed away in a series marred by lots of rain and delays caused by weather and an injury to the home plate umpire on Saturday.

Instead of a 4-2 trip, Arizona manager Torey Lovullo had to settle for a 3-3 journey through Atlanta and Cincinnati.

“We were just missing the big hit," Lovullo said. "We were building some innings. It was very subtle today [and the first game Saturday]. In the middle game, it was not. We just couldn't get the big hit at the right time. They hit a two-run home run. That was the difference in the game. They got a huge base hit in the bottom of the 10th inning in Game 1. So those were the big hits that we were lacking. And we were doing that in Atlanta.”

The Diamondbacks scored just six runs in hitter-friendly GABP over three games, with Brady Singer, Scott Barlow, Taylor Rogers (2-2) and Tony Santillan holding the D-backs in check Sunday.

“The Reds pitchers were fantastic. They did a nice job. But you walk into this ballpark and I think we scored six runs in three games,” Lovullo said. “It's not what I was expecting. So I think we can be better. I know we will continue to work on it.”

Zac Gallen (4-8) was touched for four runs on six hits over 6 2/3 innings, striking out five, walking three and navigating a 31-minute rain delay in the sixth inning.

But three pitches ultimately decided his fate, turning a winning road trip into a break-even one.

The torrid Christian Encarnacion-Strand made it three homers in as many games back from the injured list in the fourth, driving a Gallen knuckle curve on a low line drive to the seats in left.

Gallen’s knuckle curve again betrayed him in the fifth when Jose Trevino cleared the wall in left-center.

But it wasn’t Gallen’s knuckle curve that did him in. It was his slider, a pitch that he left over too much of the plate to Matt McLain in the seventh.

After getting the first two outs of the seventh, Gallen gave up a single to Jake Fraley. Gallen then left an 88 mph slider thigh-high to McLain, who crushed it deep to the seats in the lower level in left for a 4-2 Cincinnati lead.

“The one to Encarnacion-Strand, I thought was a pretty good pitch,” Gallen said. “The one to Jose might have hung a little bit, but [Encarnacion-Strand] put a good swing on it. The other two just kind of backed up just in the middle of the plate. With Encarnacion-Strand, I don’t necessarily count it as a mistake, though.

“Two obvious mistakes, yeah. I mean, I’ll take solo homers. Obviously, you’re trying to prevent big innings, but you don’t want to let them in the game. In the seventh, it’s a little tough. I was just trying to go away and it just backed up on me.”

Gallen retired the side in order in the first and worked around two walks in the second to cling to a 2-0 lead thanks to a solo homer from Eugenio Suárez and an RBI single in the third from Corbin Carroll.

For Suárez, it was a milestone homer. His 18th of the season was also the 294th of his career, tying him with Magglio Ordonez for third-most among Venezuelan-born players, trailing only Miguel Cabrera (511) and Andrés Galarraga (399).

A Diamondbacks pitching prospect made his Major League debut for a second straight game. Left-hander Kyle Backhus, promoted before the game, pitched a perfect eighth, highlighted by a strikeout of Elly De La Cruz.

Now, the Diamondbacks must regroup as they head home to Chase Field to open a three-game series with Seattle on Monday night.

“Very disappointed. We lose two tough ball games here,” Lovullo said. “The middle game was a clunker. So, we’ve got to find a way to pick ourselves up, get back home and start playing winning baseball."

“I think when we go back home, I think we're gonna be just fine,” added Alek Thomas. “We're just gonna put together good at-bats and pass the baton to the next guy and get on base and drive them in, and have good quality team at-bats. And you know, a little bit of luck in there too, and things will fall our way.”