SAN DIEGO -- There will be growing pains, D-backs manager Chip Hale told people after the team traded veteran late-inning relievers Brad Ziegler and Tyler Clippard in July and decided to go with young pitchers at the end of games.
Thursday night's 9-8 loss to the Padres at Petco Park was an example of that, as the rookie Jake Barrett couldn't protect a 7-6 lead in the eighth inning.
"That's part of this deal," Hale said. "We told you before there's going to be some ugliness from young guys pitching late in the game. They've done a good job up to now. It was just a slip-up tonight."
The team has decided to have Barrett and Enrique Burgos share the closer's role. Thursday Burgos was going to close so Barrett got the call in the eighth after the D-backs battled back from a 5-2 deficit to grab the lead in the top of the eighth.
It looked as if it would be a breeze for Barrett when he easily retired the first two hitters he faced.
Travis Jankowski, though, singled to left to start the rally.
"You have to give him credit," Hale said of Jankowski. "He's a good hitter and he's really hit us well the last two years. We're going to have to go back and rethink the ways to get him out and do a better job. It's twofold. He's getting on base and then he's causing a lot of chaotic things with his running."
Wil Myers followed with a single to center and Barrett then walked Yangervis Solarte to load the bases before Hale decided to bring Burgos in for a four-out save.
Alex Dickerson, though, foiled that plan when he greeted Burgos by lacing a three-run double to left-center to give the Padres a 9-7 lead.
"It was just out over the plate," Hale said of the pitch to Dickerson. "Those guys have got to do a better job. They know it."