Tough loss halts D-backs' push to close Wild Card gap

MINNEAPOLIS -- In a season of tough losses for the Diamondbacks, Friday night's 9-8 defeat at the hands of the Twins hurt arguably as much, if not more, than any of the others.

As the game went on, the Diamondbacks could see on the scoreboard that the Mets, who currently lead the race for the final NL Wild Card spot, had lost their seventh straight game. If Arizona could find a way to beat the Twins, who entered the game 18 games under .500, it could claw to within two games of New York.

The Twins built a lead, but the Diamondbacks kept chipping away. Trailing 6-2 after six innings, Arizona scored two in the seventh to close to within a pair of runs.

Then in the ninth, they scored four runs, three of which came on Gabriel Moreno's ninth homer of the year.

There was joy and jubilation in the Arizona dugout. Victory was just three outs away.

"It was feeling amazing," Diamondbacks shortstop Geraldo Perdomo said. "It was exciting."

And then it all slipped through their fingers.

The Twins rallied for three runs against Jake Woodford and Andrew Saalfrank, with Luke Keaschall driving home the game-winner with a walk-off sacrifice fly.

As the Diamondbacks players walked into the clubhouse and by manager Torey Lovullo's office, the skipper could hear shouts of anger and frustration coming from his players.

They knew it was a missed opportunity for the Diamondbacks, who can ill afford to have such things with such a slim margin for error in their postseason push. Arizona also trails the Reds and Giants in the standings.

"It was brutal," Lovullo said. "It's brutal right now. It was brutal when it happened. We've got to digest it and figure out a way to not let games like this happen. The guys fought hard. They threw up a four-spot in the top of the ninth inning. We had things going in a very positive direction. We just couldn't execute some key situations on the mound today."

Lovullo went to the right-handed Woodford to open the ninth, explaining that with the right-handed hitting Byron Buxton due up third in the frame, he did not want to give him an at-bat against a left-hander.

Woodford allowed a home run to Kody Clemens, his third of the night, then gave up a single, hit a batter and walked Austin Martin to load the bases.

Lovullo then signaled for the lefty Andrew Saalfrank, who was to be used only in emergency situations after having thrown more than an inning Wednesday. Saalfrank walked the left-handed hitting Trevor Larnach to force in the tying run and then gave up the sac fly to Keaschall.

"You know, you look up, you see the scoreboard, you know the Mets lost, you're projecting, if you win this game, you're two out," Lovullo said. "So this is tough. We're hurting. I know everybody in the Valley is hurting. We're hurting just as bad. I guarantee you."

Somehow, though, they have to find a way to recover before Saturday night's game. After these last two games against the Twins, the schedule gets tougher for Arizona, who returns home Monday to open a three-game set with the Giants.

The Phillies and Dodgers follow and then they conclude the season against the Padres in San Diego. That's why beating the Twins was so important, especially after the rally in the top of the ninth.

"We just got to move on and be ready for tomorrow," Perdomo said. "We've got a lot of games left, and we're still in the hunt."