PHOENIX – The Arizona Diamondbacks could never quite overcome an ugly four-run first inning against the San Diego Padres as they lost their final series opener of the regular season 5-3 on Friday.

With the loss, the D-Backs are no longer in control of their fate in the NL Wild Card race and will need help from around the league to play baseball in October.

The Diamondbacks (88-72) are virtually tied with the New York Mets (87-71) and Atlanta Braves (87-71), but are behind in percentage and have no tiebreaker. The D-Backs have two games left, while their NL East rivals have four games left, including a doubleheader on Monday.

“We couldn't make up that early deficit, the first inning I think cost us a little bit of energy,” manager Torey Lovullo said.

“We’ll be ready to go tomorrow. We know what we are fighting for. A lot of people ask me questions about the stability of our team. Are we okay? We are great. We're doing well when it comes to preparation and we expect to go out and good things happen. … We didn’t get the victory today. We’ll definitely do everything we can to get one tomorrow.”

The earliest Arizona can get a win is now Sunday, which would require two wins to close out the regular season and at least a Mets loss to the Milwaukee Brewers or a Braves loss to the Kansas City Royals. The Mets fell 8-4 to Milwaukee on Friday, while the Braves defeated the Kansas City Royals – who clinched a postseason berth with the Minnesota Twins' loss – 3-0.

The Padres, meanwhile, have secured the top Wild Card spot and have nothing left to gain from this series at Chase Field other than potentially eliminating a division opponent.

“I feel like we’re confident,” said substitute Kevin Ginkel. “I feel like this team is playoff caliber. We showed it all year long. Obviously it comes down to the last few games here and we're going to need some help, but I feel like if we keep doing our job and stay close we'll have a chance.”

Diamondbacks fall behind

D-Backs starter Merrill Kelly threw 31 pitches during a first inning in which he received no help from his defense.

The game started with a brace from Luis Arraez with a high ball into right midfield. Arizona sold out on offense, starting Pavin Smith at right guard, moving Corbin Carroll to center and leaving Jake McCarthy on the bench. Smith couldn't run the fly ball downfield (Arraez later hit a very similar ball for an RBI triple in the fourth inning).

Arraez later scored on a sharp one-hopper from Manny Machado to the glove side of second baseman Ketel Marte, which he disapproved of. There was a chance to potentially end the inning unscathed in round two.

“Not an easy game, these types of grounders are pretty uncomfortable. I thought I could do it, but I couldn't manage to play it,” Marte said through Spanish interpreter Alex Arpiza. “The hit was on the glove side, it wasn't directly in the middle. When he was in the middle, I play him every now and then, but he was on the side.”

D-Backs manager Torey Lovullo said Ketel Marte wanted to take the “kill shot” on the ball that got past the second baseman in a four-run first inning by the Padres. pic.twitter.com/IjWxNkASd2

– Arizona Sports (@AZSports) September 28, 2024

After a single by Jackson Merrill, Lovullo went to the mound to check his players' concentration after a couple of plays fell through.

“I just told them, ‘Lock it up. Let’s go and lock it up,'” Lovullo said. “I saw a few things that told me we weren't 100 percent committed and I just wanted to make sure we were. And they said they were. I checked on everyone, looked them all in the eyes and they said they were ready to go.”

Xander Bogaerts hit what looked like a routine double-play ball from the mound visit, but Marte had trouble getting a handle on the turn and sailed his throw out of bounds. Another run scored and former Diamondback David Peralta followed up with an RBI single.

Nine batters came to the plate in a typically scoreless inning for this typically excellent Diamondbacks defense.

“It’s just part of the game,” Kelly said. “That's my job. I have to pick up your teammates. The offense and defense had to take over the pitching, and the pitching had to take over the offense and defense.”

Four in the first 🔥 pic.twitter.com/qqYe3TtOQ7

– San Diego Padres (@Padres) September 28, 2024

Fast day for Diamondbacks

Arizona immediately cut the deficit in half when Corbin Carroll hit a home run off San Diego's Yu Darvish and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. narrowly missed the fence with a sacrifice fly to tie the game.

The D-Backs delivered an offensive performance of near misses all evening, from a Eugenio Suarez liner just left of the foul pole in the second inning to a 398-foot fly out to center by Smith to one 401-foot Marte shot that was chased down by Merrill at midfield.

The Diamondbacks had the game-winning or “green” run at the plate in seven of nine innings. Ultimately, the D-Backs were left with runners on base and finished the game 1-7.

Merrill Kelly better than the statline

Kelly was effective the rest of his game, racking up 5.2 innings with one earned run after the four in the opening frame. Despite the defensive errors behind him, he was charged with all four early runs. Lovullo said Kelly deserved a better fate.

“I think there are a few throws throughout the game that I probably enjoy making over and over again, but for the most part I felt like I had some pretty good stuff,” Kelly said. “The situation was good, the change tonight was really good.”

He also didn't experience any cramps, which he said was a blessing.

Arizona's bullpen – Joe Mantiply, Ryan Thompson, AJ Puk and Ginkel – threw 3.1 scoreless innings to keep the game close.

The Diamondbacks' next game

Eduardo Rodriguez will start for the D-Backs on Saturday. San Diego has not named its starter.

First pitch will be at 5:10 p.m. on 98.7 and the Arizona Sports App.

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