By Nick Piecoro | Arizona Republic
The Diamondbacks did not so much lose on Saturday night as they refused to win. Star Paul Goldschmidt described his team’s 5-4, 10-inning loss to the Atlanta Braves as an “amazing ballgame,” and while he’s right about the evening’s pure entertainment value, it was probably more amazing in ways other than what Goldschmidt intended.
Like in how poorly the Diamondbacks played defensively, committing four errors. Or in how haphazardly they ran the bases, first failing to advance 90 feet in the middle innings, then barreling toward home and ending the game with a brutal out at the plate.
“I don’t want to undersell the fact that we didn’t do what we were supposed to do today in a lot of key situations,” manager Torey Lovullo said. “That’s what we get used to doing here. When it doesn’t happen, it stands out.”
The loss was the Diamondbacks’ 10th in their past 15 games. At 76-66, they are in third place and 2 1/2 games back of the first-place Colorado Rockies in the National League West. They are two games back of the second wild card, and, just like in the division, they will need to leapfrog two teams.
