PHOENIX - The start Arizona moved up for October urgency became the night the wild-card math turned harsh.
Eduardo Rodriguez needed 45 pitches to finish the first inning Friday against the New York Yankees - a career high for an opening frame - and the Diamondbacks never recovered in a 9-2 loss at Chase Field. The Associated Press and Field Level Media both framed it as arguably Rodriguez's worst outing of a season that had him on pace for a career-low ERA.
When it ended, Arizona sat at 80-74, five games behind San Diego, Philadelphia and the Chicago Cubs, who all stood at 85-69 for the three National League wild-card spots. Eight games remain.
Manager Torey Lovullo had bumped Rodriguez ahead of Brandon Pfaadt specifically because every remaining date felt like a must-win. Friday answered that urgency with a five-run Yankees first and a bullpen that could not climb out of it.
A first inning that spent the night
Paul Goldschmidt walked to open the game and took third on Cody Bellinger's single. Heliot Ramos and Ben Rice walked on 3-2 counts to force in the first run. Amed Rosario singled home another. A wild pitch scored Ramos. George Lombard Jr.'s two-run single capped a 5-0 inning before Rodriguez recorded the third out, Reuters reported.
Corbin Carroll's two-run homer in the second cut it to 5-2. Rice's solo shot in the third pushed New York back ahead by four. Lombard added a solo homer in the sixth and finished with three RBIs. Rodriguez left after 5 1/3 innings having allowed seven runs on five hits and four walks with five strikeouts. He fell to 15-7.
Gerrit Cole (9-9) worked six innings, allowed two runs on four hits, struck out six and walked none. He retired 13 of his final 15 batters after Carroll's homer. Cole's 162nd career win made him the winningest No. 1 overall draft pick in major-league history, the Associated Press noted.
The Yankees played without Aaron Judge, who is headed to the injured list with a right calf strain. New York still scored nine. Arizona has lost five of six and three straight.
Five games, eight dates, no soft path
Thursday's preview math had Arizona four games behind San Diego with nine to play. Friday's loss, combined with the Padres' win over Miami that pulled San Diego into a three-way wild-card tie at 85-69, stretched the deficit to five. Philadelphia and the Cubs also sit on that line. Arizona does not play those clubs again before the finale stretch in San Diego next weekend.
