D-backs tip cap to Wisler after offense sputters

PHOENIX -- The D-backs avoided being no-hit in Thursday's 3-1 loss to the Braves. But that was about the only positive from their offensive showing against Atlanta right-hander Matt Wisler.
The 23-year-old, who had just been recalled from Triple-A Gwinnett after Wednesday's game, limited Arizona to one run on two hits over eight innings. The D-backs then went down in order against Braves closer Jim Johnson in the ninth.
Paul Goldschmidt and Jean Segura had Arizona's only hits, both singles in the seventh and eighth innings respectively.
"He just did a great job of keeping the ball down," D-backs manager Chip Hale said of Wisler. "He stayed with his sinker tonight, maybe took a little bit off it like a BP fastball, and you saw all those ground balls that resulted from it when he was down in the count. You tip your cap, the guys battled him, he just beat us today."

Wisler had defensive support behind him. Shortstop Dansby Swanson made an impressive play deep in the hole to retire Chris Owings in the second, then made a nice diving grab on a liner by Tuffy Gosewisch in the third.
Goldschmidt dropped in a single to right to lead off the seventh and Jake Lamb followed that with a walk for Arizona's best scoring chance. However, it just resulted in one run in the only inning in which the D-backs had a runner past first base.
Wisler may have surprised Arizona, as the right-hander posted an 8.89 ERA in five starts in July before being demoted to Triple-A.
"The scouting report was a guy that we were going to hit hard," Segura said. "It's just sometimes the way baseball is, sometimes you expect that you're going to get some good hits against a pitcher who's not good enough to get a start like that, but it's baseball."
The D-backs had totaled 23 runs in the first three games of the series, including 10 in Wednesday's walk-off, extra-innings win. If they need an offensive boost after Thursday's struggles, they'll be getting one for Friday's series opener against the Reds when outfielder AJ Pollock will be activated from the disabled list.