D-backs unable to make up ground in Wild Card race with loss to Rockies

DENVER -- It was all there for the taking on Friday night.

The three teams ahead of the D-backs in the National League Wild Card race -- the Mets, Reds and Cardinals -- each lost, meaning an Arizona victory over the team with the worst record in the Majors would pull it to 3 1/2 games out of postseason position.

But the D-backs couldn’t capitalize, and while they know their 4-3 loss to the Rockies at Coors Field was just one game, sometimes it all comes down to one game in the end.

“You always want to come through,” said the only D-backs hitter with multiple hits on the evening, Jake McCarthy. “ … [Rockies pitchers] executed in a timely fashion. Maybe you tip your cap, but I still think there’s some accountability that we have to have.”

Outside of McCarthy’s 2-for-4, two-RBI performance, Arizona managed only four hits against Colorado in the most hitter-friendly environment in the game. And of the six hits overall, five were singles.

For a club that entered the contest having won nine of 12 games with an offensive outburst that had it in the class of the red-hot Brewers and Blue Jays this month, that was mildly stunning.

As was the fact that they could do little against Rockies starter Tanner Gordon (who entered the game with an 8.37 ERA) and eight of the final 12 D-backs batters in the game struck out against Colorado’s bullpen.

“We didn’t get that big hit at a very crucial moment,” manager Torey Lovullo said. “I thought there was some slug to be had, and we couldn’t get over the hump.”

Before their homerless game on Friday, the D-backs had hit the most home runs in MLB (24) this month and had homered at least twice in each of the previous four games. Their .490 team slugging percentage was third behind only Milwaukee (.554) and Toronto (.517).

Arizona’s season-high-tying streak of 12 consecutive games in which they scored over the first three innings was also snapped.

“It’s frustrating, for sure,” Lovullo said. “These guys are engaged, they’re expecting to win baseball games. And when you come up a little short, get one extra-base hit in this type of venue -- it’s not something we predict.”

It wasn’t only at the plate that the D-backs found themselves striking out -- in the top of the sixth, Lourdes Gurriel Jr. tried to go from first to third on a McCarthy RBI single but was thrown out by center fielder Brenton Doyle, who is known for his cannon of an arm.

In hindsight, it was a bad idea on Gurriel’s part. But Lovullo said that while he had to go back and look at what type of jump Gurriel had from first, he does preach aggressive baserunning as one of Arizona’s signature attributes on offense.

“It’s part of our DNA,” Lovullo said. “And it took a perfect throw to get the out. … Doyle’s a Gold Glove [winner]. He’s a very good center fielder. He’s an accurate thrower with a plus-plus arm. We’ve got to be very careful about that.”

On the mound, right-hander Brandon Pfaadt gave up a first-inning solo homer and a fifth-inning RBI double with a sacrifice fly and an RBI groundout for the Rockies sandwiched between.

For an outing at Coors Field, his six innings were solid -- he yielded four runs on eight hits while walking two and striking out four on 100 pitches.

“I think we gave up some early contact in innings and that came back to bite us,” Pfaadt said. “But overall, I think we stayed in the game and ultimately gave our team a chance to win the game. Just didn’t come out on top.”

It’s one game out of 162. But the way these things often seem to go, it’s a game that could come back to bite the Snakes in the end. Knowing that they missed a great chance to gain in the standings on Friday, they also know they have to wipe the slate clean before taking the field on Saturday.

“It’s a hard league and there are no gimme’s here,” McCarthy said. “Obviously, we want to keep climbing [in the standings]. A little setback today, but we’re focused on tomorrow now and you try to win the series. So that’s where we’re at.”