PHOENIX — The Arizona Diamondbacks jumped out to a 3-0 lead with Corbin Burnes rolling early in Thursday’s rubber match against the Tampa Bay Rays, but the team collectively blew the series with a second straight loss in extra innings.
Junior Caminero delivered the go-ahead RBI double in the 10th inning, and Christopher Morel slammed a dagger two-run shot off J.P. Feyereisen to inflict a 7-4 loss on Arizona.
Now, the D-backs (14-11) will have to grind against an Atlanta Braves squad coming to Chase Field on Friday fresh from an off day.
The Diamondbacks are about to start a gauntlet with five straight series against National League playoff teams from a year ago, followed by three games at the San Francisco Giants.
Losing two straight to the scuffling Rays while taxing the bullpen is a brutal way to enter that phase of the schedule.
The Diamondbacks pulled ahead 3-0 in the first two innings on four hits, including RBI knocks by Josh Naylor and Alek Thomas.
From there, the offense went silent outside a Tim Tawa solo shot in the fifth inning, his third home run in five games. After Thomas’ double in the second, Arizona only collected two hits.
Corbin Burnes’ day
Burnes, meanwhile, bamboozled the Rays’ lineup through four innings. He started the game with three perfect innings and erased a lead-off single in the fourth with a double play. It was the most dominant stretch he’s pitched as a Diamondback so far, painting the corners and drawing whiffs to produce six strikeouts.
He only needed 44 pitches to get through four in what looked prime for a deep outing.
Burnes surrendered his first run in the fifth, however, as Jose Caballero scorched an RBI double to center field after a walk.
The sixth was more precarious, as Yandy Diaz led off with a double followed by a Brandon Lowe walk.
Burnes’ day ended on an error he committed with one out and runners on the corners. He looked up before securing a tapper, the ball bounced off his glove and a run scored.
Jalen Beeks entered the game and struck out his first batter, which would have ended the inning had Burnes fielded the ball cleanly. Instead, he let in an inherited run before escaping the jam.
Burnes was only charged with one earned run, dropping his season ERA to 4.05.
Beeks exited the game in the seventh inning after taking a Chandler Simpson comebacker off his left arm. He made the play but walked off with the trainer. He is the lone southpaw in the D-backs’ bullpen and not someone they can afford to lose.
Ryne Nelson, despite two defensive errors behind him, recorded the next six outs to put the Rays on the ropes before three straight singles tied the game.
From the start of the fifth inning, Thursday may have been the most disheartening baseball the Diamondbacks have played this year as a unit.
Diamondbacks next game
The D-backs begin their three-game series with the Braves on Friday at 6:40 p.m.
Zac Gallen (5.60 ERA) will start the opener for Arizona against reigning NL Cy Young winner Chris Sale (6.17 ERA).
The Braves had Thursday off, giving them a notable advantage against a team that has played three extra-inning games since Sunday.
The game will air on 98.7 and the Arizona Sports app.
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