D-backs' bats back Ray in win over Padres

June 6th, 2017

PHOENIX -- Robbie Ray allowed just three hits and struck out 11 over 6 2/3 innings, as the left-hander helped the D-backs snap a three-game losing streak with a 10-2 win over the Padres on Tuesday night at Chase Field.
Ray (6-3) won his fourth straight start, despite having his scoreless streak end at 27 2/3 innings. The double-digit strikeout total marked the seventh time Ray has accomplished the feat in his career.
"I'm feeling pretty good, got a good game plan with my catcher," Ray said. "So it's almost like get the ball back, and whatever they throw down, I feel comfortable with it."

'Stud' Ray adapts, fools Padres with offspeed
drove in four runs for the D-backs, while Chris Owings added three RBIs with a homer and had a pair to lead the offense. Most of the damage came off Padres starter Dinelson Lamet, who allowed nine runs (seven earned) in three-plus innings.

It was Lamet's first poor outing in the big leagues. He had been sharp over his first two career starts, but couldn't find the zone Tuesday, walking five and throwing just 42 of his 88 pitches for strikes.
Afterward, Lamet attributed his struggles to the game speeding up on him, putting his mechanics out of whack. Padres manager Andy Green, who served as D-backs third-base coach in 2015, has seen that before.
"I was over there watching Robbie Ray a couple years ago have outings very similar to what Dinelson Lamet had tonight," Green said. "That's not an atypical outing for a young guy. Do you like those outings? No. But you learn from them."

"If you keep your head down after a bad start -- and there are going to be plenty of those over the course of your career -- then you're going to end up having a bad season," Lamet said through an interpreter. "I just have to be ready to bounce back."
For the second straight game, provided the entirety of the Padres' offense, homering twice -- once off Ray in the fourth and again off Tom Wilhelmsen in the ninth.

Power surge continues for homer-happy Renfroe
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Lamb chops double: Lamb got the D-backs' offense going in the first, when he drove in a pair of runs with a double to right. The hit came after  doubled and was hit by a pitch, and it kept Lamet from getting out of the inning unscathed.
"The big two-run double, I thought, was a key moment for us," D-backs manager Torey Lovullo said. "Kind of got us off on the right foot, and allowed us to play downhill baseball. Jake's having a tremendous year. He is an offensive force, and he's hitting No. 4 for us for a reason, and he's had some big knocks for us."

Speed in, speed out: Lamet's 1-0 fastball to Owings in the second came in at 96 mph, and Owings used his quick hands to turn on it and drive it into the left-field bleachers a projected 429 feet from home plate, per Statcast™. The ball had an exit velocity of 105 mph, but more importantly, the three-run homer capped a five-run inning and broke the game open.
"The big three-run homer, I thought, was the dagger by Chris Owings," Lovullo said.

QUOTABLE
"I don't think he lacks for confidence. He'll bounce back." -- Green, on Lamet
HERRMANN EXITS WITH HAND SORENESS
D-backs catcher Chris Herrmann was removed from the game after striking out to end the fourth. He appeared to tweak his right hand on a swing, but stayed in for the remainder of the at-bat. Lovullo said the injury is not serious, and that Herrmann was removed as a precaution.

WHAT'S NEXT
Padres: posted the worst start of his career last month against the D-backs, but he's found a groove since. On Wednesday, he'll get a rematch with Arizona in the middle game of a three-game set at 6:40 p.m. PT at Chase Field.
D-backs:Zack Greinke will get the start for the D-backs on Wednesday night against the Padres at 6:40 p.m. MST. Greinke is 6-1 with a 2.96 ERA over his last eight starts, and he allowed just one earned run over seven innings in his last outing against the Marlins.
Watch every out-of-market regular-season game live on MLB.TV.