PHOENIX – There just isn’t much margin for error when you’re playing the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The Diamondbacks already knew that, of course. But they got a reminder of it on Tuesday night. Despite a solid start from Robbie Ray, a scoreless performance from the bullpen and another two hits from Ketel Marte, Arizona fell by a final of 3-2 in front of 27,927 fans at Chase Field.

For Marte, the two hits mean he has delivered eight straight multi-hit efforts. That’s a new franchise record, breaking the previous mark of seven that was held by none other than Luis Gonzalez.

Enrique Hernandez took Ray deep to lead off the game, but the D-backs’ lefty settled in after that. In fact, he threw just 71 pitches through the first five frames and didn’t even allow another hit until the sixth inning. Problem is, that hit was another homer – this time off the bat of Justin Turner.

“Well that’s the first curveball I think that Turner’s hit off me,” Ray pointed out later. “So it’s just tip your cap.”

The third hit Ray allowed was a long double to the very next batter, Alex Verdugo. And then Chris Taylor followed with the fourth hit of the night – another double to drive Verdugo in. That gave the Dodgers a 3-2 lead, and that’s all they needed.

Arizona hung around though. Matt Andriese and T.J. McFarland combined for 2.2 shutout innings and Nick Ahmed fought his way into scoring position with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, before Carson Kelly grounded out to end the game.

“Our guys are fighting as hard as they possibly can through the 27 outs,” Lovullo said. “I couldn’t be more proud of them. It’s just tough when you come up on the short end of that type of game, you know? It was a very emotional game. The crowd was into it.”

To be fair, saying Kelly simply “grounded out” to end the game doesn’t really tell the whole story. He made LA closer Kenley Jansen throw him nine pitches, fouling off strike three four separate times. And even the out itself was a weird one, as Jansen essentially bounced the ball to home plate, but Kelly’s check swing made accidental contact.

“Carson was taking some really good swings and he just bounced the ball and it probably threw him off a little bit,” Lovullo explained. “I haven’t seen a finish like that ever.”

The loss snaps Arizona’s three-game winning streak and sets the stage for Wednesday’s contest to decide the series.

Prior to the game, Arizona Cardinals first-round pick Kyler Murray and Arizona Coyotes first rounder Victor Soderstrom threw out the first pitch. Murray has a well-documented history with baseball, having been selected by the Oakland A’s with the ninth pick of the 2018 draft. Soderstrom does not, so he literally used a hockey stick to shoot the ball to home plate.

After the game, Lovullo noted that Jake Lamb is being activated and Domingo Leyba is being sent down to make room. He also confirmed Alex Young will get the start and make his Major League debut on Thursday.

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Vile is the business that preys on its most passionate customers. Basketball fans in Phoenix are especially gullible, an organization that once filled us with civic pride; putting Phoenix on national television; rarely missing the playoffs under Jerry Colangelo.

But Devin Booker is not a sheep. He knows our collective history is much different than his personal history in Phoenix, where he has won 23, 24, 21 and 19 games in four fruitless seasons.

He has never been to the playoffs, once a birthright for basketball fans in the Valley.

What truly great player has ever won less out of the gate?

The Suns have tanked a lot of games in recent years. Booker has been injured for a lot of those games, and both could’ve pushed harder for the bottom line. So to Booker and the Suns, it’s not as bad as it looks. And that’s a fundamental problem around here.

Either way, it won’t be much longer before Booker has missed the playoffs long enough. Especially if the Suns pass on a chance to acquire D’Angelo Russell, thumbing their noses at an All-Star point guard and one of Booker’s closest friends.

That would be indefensible. As much as we all love the heart of Kelly Oubre Jr., he is not a game-changer like Russell. And that’s when Booker starts to see writing on the wall. Namely, an Exit sign above the front door.

Remember, Booker was a No. 13 pick. He didn’t start a game in college. He flourishes on big stages, from Boston to Mexico City. He’s only been an All-Star Game sideshow, and yet he won the 3-point shooting contest in his first try. He is yearning for the next level of league-wide recognition. And the only thing holding him back is the team he plays for.

Like Kawhi Leonard (15th pick), Steve Nash (15th pick) and Giannis Antentokounmpo (15th pick), Booker’s naked ambition is one of his greatest attributes. He has all the psychological triggers that marks some of the NBA’s greatest players: he relishes attention, loves the art of trash-talking, scores effortlessly, gets better constantly and the words that come out of his mouth would probably shock you.

That’s the way it works with the maniacally successful athletes. They’re polished, ruthless and frighteningly insatiable. They are gifted/burdened with a dark heart. That’s why we watch them, sometimes with jaws agape.

But the Suns are threatening to sell Booker short, and the dangers are immense.

Booker, Russell and Karl-Anthony Towns are threatening to become the next generational Super Team in the NBA. The city that lands two of those players will be NBA champion within five years.
It could be Phoenix. But that would require bold maneuvering and whimsical spending.

It could be Minnesota. But that would require Booker tapping out, staging his unhappiness, hiring Rich Paul as his agent and demanding a trade out of Phoenix.

It’s not only possible. It’s closer than you think. Especially if the Suns pass on Russell. Especially if Booker knows that Russell was yearning to play alongside him in Phoenix.

To the contrary, signing Russell, if possible, would pacify Booker forever. The Suns would’ve given him his money and his best friend in the league, making up for their appalling lack of structure and stability in Booker’s early years, just as he was attempting to make a name for himself in the NBA.

And this could be the moment we all dreaded, when the Suns do something really awful, like passing on a chance to Russell. And then Booker begins to turn that same maniacal fervor against the Suns, only his new desire is to get out.

Because they never gave him a team worthy of his talent. Or our passion.

The Suns are advised to never let that happen. No matter what it might cost in luxury taxes.

Reach Bickley at dbickley@bonneville.com. Listen to Bickley & Marotta weekdays from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. on 98.7 FM Arizona’s Sports Station.

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The Arizona Diamondbacks are expected to call up pitcher Alex Young from Triple-A Reno, 98.7 FM Arizona’s Sports Station‘s John Gambadoro said Tuesday.

Young is a 25-year-old left-hander who has yet to make his MLB debut since being drafted in the second round by Arizona in 2015.

Arizona could use another arm as it has struggled to get quality starting pitching from their fifth spot in the rotation. Top pitching prospect Jon Duplantier has been hurt, as has Luke Weaver. Manager Torey Lovullo told Burns & Gambo on 98.7 FM Arizona’s Sports Station on Tuesday that Zack Godley will go back to the bullpen and the team will need a starter for Thursday.

Young owns a 6.09 ERA in 20 appearances in Reno this year, eight of those appearances being starts. He has thrown 54.2 innings and has a 1.683 WHIP. In fairness to Young, the Aces play in a hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League. 

His ERA in eight starts this season is 5.79 in 32.2 innings pitched.

Young isn’t on the team’s 40-man roster.

The Illinois native attended Texas Christian University and had a 1.29 ERA in his first season of professional baseball. In nine starts with Double-A Jackson last season, Young had an ERA of 3.91. It was 5.96 in Reno last year.

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