SAN FRANCISCO -- The Diamondbacks wrapped up their three-game series with the Giants on Wednesday afternoon with an 8-7 win at Oracle Park to end a stretch of 16 games in 16 days against teams that -- if the season ended today -- would be in the postseason. They finished that stretch 8-8 against the Mets, Phillies, Dodgers, and Giants.
"I think emotionally we’re a little tired,” Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said.
Ketel Marte was the offensive catalyst for the Diamondbacks, hitting a pair of homers -- a solo shot in the first and a two-run blast in the fourth, continuing his tear at the plate of late, until he was lifted for pinch-hitter Jordan Lawlar (Arizona's No. 1 prospect) in the seventh.
Marte isn't injured, but Lovullo said Marte had experienced a little stiffness in his hip as the game went on. Lovullo had wanted to give Marte a day off during the series, but the star second baseman wanted to play all three games. When he experienced a little stiffness, the club elected to be cautious. He is expected to be in the lineup when the Diamondbacks open a series with Colorado on Friday at Chase Field.
Eugenio Suárez contributed a three-run homer as Arizona scored at least one run in each of the first four innings. That provided support for starter Eduardo Rodriguez, who was removed after allowing four runs in four innings.
Ryan Thompson, Ryne Nelson and Shelby Miller carried it the rest of the way as the D-backs left Oracle Park with a series victory.
The Diamondbacks have played a challenging schedule to date. In addition to the 16 games in 16 days against potential playoff teams, the club has made two trips to New York already and prior to the series with the Giants, their shortest distance traveled for a road game was when they went to Chicago for a three-game set with the Cubs.
"I think this is one of the tougher stretches we're going to play all season,” general manager Mike Hazen said. “And I feel like we held our own. I don't know that we played our best baseball, but I feel like we held our own. And I feel good about that.”
On Thursday they'll be able to get a little rest with an off-day at home before opening a quick three-game homestand against the Rockies, who are struggling mightily this year.
Marte missed a month with an injury, both of the D-backs' co-closers, A.J. Puk and Justin Martinez, are on the injured list, the schedule has challenged them and yet 44 games into the season they are in the thick of things with a 23-21 record.
"I think we're playing better baseball now than we did in the first two weeks of the season, first three weeks of the season,” Hazen said. “I think we're playing cleaner baseball. I think you're seeing these games start to smooth out. Offense has kind of lulled at times here in some of these stretches, but that's going to happen as you go through a season. Bullpen is a little bit underwater in terms of the guys that are a little banged up that are going to be coming back. Starting pitching has done a good job of working deep into games for us and giving us good opportunities to win.”
After the three-game home series with the Rockies, Arizona will head to Los Angeles for three against the Dodgers and St. Louis for three.
Martinez is expected to return in the next week from the shoulder inflammation/tired arm that he’s been experiencing while Puk could be back in mid-to-late June. The Diamondbacks recently got backend reliever Kendall Graveman back from the IL.
They’re getting healthier, and while they’ve stayed afloat during the first 44 games, the expectations on a team with a payroll around $200 million is much higher.
"We'll see where we go,” Hazen said. “Now that we get into the middle part of the season, now it's time for us to start locking down wins on a consistent basis, and I feel like we're capable of doing that. Ketel’s back, we're getting healthier, and the lineup is starting to come into shape. There's clearly a lot of competition in the National League. It's going to be a long, formidable season, in terms of what I think the National League is going to look like.”