PHOENIX -- The Diamondbacks rallied for a 5-3 win over the Reds on Sunday afternoon, but the news was not all good for the home team at Chase Field.
The win came after a long week and some bad news earlier Sunday.
A day after a start in which he seemed to struggle with his command, the Diamondbacks placed right-hander Michael Soroka on the 15-day injured list and recalled right-hander Gerardo Carrillo from Triple-A Reno.
The week started with second baseman Ketel Marte not showing up for Monday's game at Fenway Park, which started off a days-long drama.
Then Soroka, who was making his third start after returning from the IL following a left glute muscle injury, was diagnosed with right shoulder inflammation.
Prior to his glute injury, Soroka had been one of the team's best starters this year. In his first two starts after coming off the IL, he allowed just two runs in 10 innings.
Saturday night against Cincinnati, though, he fell behind Reds hitters and allowed six runs on six hits while walking three and lasting just 3 1/3 innings.
"The fastball command just wasn't where it needed to be, wasn't where it had been all year," Soroka said after the game. "Not good. Just falling behind from the get-go. Wasn't making good pitches behind the count and just wasn't a good day. And they came swinging the bats today and made me pay."
Carrillo will work out of the bullpen, and gives the team another fresh arm to add to its relief corps. Earlier in the day, the team announced that it had activated reliever Drey Jameson from the IL and designated right-hander Zack Littell for assignment.
How they will fill Soroka's spot in the rotation remains to be seen. The Diamondbacks hope to have veteran right-handers Zac Gallen and Corbin Burnes back from their injuries in early September.
Two pitchers currently with Reno who have started games for Arizona this year include right-hander Jose Cabrera and lefty Kohl Drake.
Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said Soroka is not expected to miss more than the mandatory 15 days for an IL stint before he’s able to return.
Once the game started, things looked no better for the Diamondbacks, as the Reds built a 3-0 lead through five innings behind the pitching of Andrew Abbott.
“Down 3-0, kind of flatlined, and just very, very curious about how we were going to get centered and get back out there and score some runs,” Lovullo said.
The Diamondbacks gave him an answer, scoring a run in the sixth and four in the seventh to win.
Ildemaro Vargas, starting at second in place of Marte, delivered the big blow with a two-run triple in the seventh.
It was the third win in the last four games for the Diamondbacks (69-62), who remain two games behind the Padres (71-60) for the final NL Wild Card spot.
“That's what we need to do: take series, stack wins,” Vargas said. “We have a lot of teams coming in that we're battling against. It's a close, close race. I think we need to stay positive, do the little things, and I think that we are.”
Things get tougher for the Diamondbacks this week as the Cubs, who hold the top Wild Card spot and swept a three-game series against Arizona earlier this year at Wrigley Field, come to town for a three-game set starting Monday.
“I'm not gonna lie, it was rough,” Lovullo said of the past week. “I stood before the cameras and told you how rough it was, and these players were basically echoing some of that frustration and distraction as well. And they're real, and when they talk about it, it's a real thing. But when they say they're coming out the other end and then back it up with their play, it tells me a really good story.”