PHOENIX -- D-backs right-hander Archie Bradley did something different after his start in Tuesday's 7-4 loss to the Braves. Not long after the game, Bradley was in the video room watching tape of his outing with coaches, trying to solve any mechanical issues leading to his struggles this month.
It wasn't his roughest start in August by any means. But it was still far from one of his best outings. So Bradley wanted to see if he was doing anything wrong.
"With what some of my fastballs were doing tonight, the way they were missing, I just wondered if I was doing something mechanical," Bradley said. "It's all small stuff and it's all stuff we try to get better in in our bullpens or our dry work. Just because it's August and the end of the year, we're still working to get better."
Bradley's outing started off shaky. He allowed two runs on three hits and a pair of walks in the first inning. He needed 55 pitches to get through two innings and faced 19 batters in the first three frames.
But after giving up a leadoff double to Adonis García in the fourth, Bradley retired the last six batters he faced to get through five innings and leave in line for the win. He allowed three earned runs on seven hits with three walks and seven strikeouts.
The right-hander couldn't notch his first win since July 27 because Arizona relinquished a one-run lead in the eighth. And after posting a 9.00 ERA in his first four August starts, Bradley saw improvement in his latest outing.
"It still comes down to executing pitches and when it came down to the base hits they got, I just missed spots and I missed them bad," Bradley said. "Up here, guys make you pay for it."
D-backs manager Chip Hale said the team will monitor Bradley's innings. The 24-year-old has 140 2/3 this year, including his time in the Minors.
Hale said the team could either shorten Bradley's outings, give him extra days or skip a start in September. But for now, the Arizona manager was impressed with how Bradley turned around his outing.
"It's pretty amazing he was able to do that with his pitch count so high early, that was a good sign," Hale said. "He did battle and give us five, which was important tonight."