Wrigley Field conditions cause issues for Diamondbacks in series loss in Chicago

CHICAGO – Wrigley Field was not a friendly place for the Diamondbacks this weekend, with conditions somewhat unique to the ballpark contributing to both of their losses in their three-game series against the Chicago Cubs.

After gusting winds cost them in Friday’s loss, it was the 105-year-old ballpark’s brick outfield wall that played a part in Sunday’s 2-1 defeat. With a runner on in the sixth, the Cubs’ Javier Baez shot a ball to deep right-center field that landed between center fielder Jarrod Dyson and right fielder Adam Jones. Baez wound up at third with an RBI triple.

“It’s really tough,” Dyson said. “If there was some padding out there, I probably would have ran all the way into it. Knowing that it’s brick out there, you want to just stick an arm out and try not to hurt yourself for the remainder of the season. It’s unfortunate. I’m mad I didn’t come up with that play.”

Diamondbacks lefty Robbie Ray said he didn’t make a good pitch to Baez and said he thought the ball hung up in the air for a while, but he didn’t blame his outfielders.

“The ivy is dead, so you’re running into a brick wall if you’re going full speed,” he said. “I thought it hung up a little bit, but I just left (the slider) up a little too much over the middle of the plate.”

The Diamondbacks misplayed three balls in the first two games of the series in part due to the wind. The first misplay, by second baseman Wilmer Flores, gifted Kris Bryant a two-run double on Friday. Neither of the other mistakes cost them runs.

“You’ve just got play the elements,” Jones said. “This ballpark has been around a long, long time so you just have to understand the elements and make the adjustment to the elements.”

Positional penalties

By and large, Ketel Marte has switched between positions without much trouble, bouncing mostly from center field to second base but also playing parts of three games at shortstop.

Marte has looked surprisingly good in center field, a position at which he had limited experience entering the year, and he has yet to be charged with an error at any position. He has, however, had a couple of hiccups at second base, and manager Torey Lovullo admitted it is possible that the bouncing around could be a contributing factor.

During the previous homestand, Marte had trouble making a feed to shortstop Nick Ahmed on a ground ball by Hunter Renfroe, a play that led to a big inning for the Padres. Then in Atlanta last week, Marte threw wide of home on a relay, costing the Diamondbacks the chance at an out at the plate.

“I think when you lock down one spot and one area and one location, you know your space very, very well,” Lovullo said. “I feel like there’s some plays that he’s made that haven’t been as smooth.”

Still, Lovullo appreciates the flexibility Marte has provided. During a game in Atlanta on Thursday, Lovullo had Marte play all three positions.

“It’s worth the tradeoff for me,” Lovullo said. “Ultimately, when he went to second base that was probably our best overall defense. It gave me a chance to put guys in at second the way I wanted to. So there’s value in that.”

Banged up

First baseman Christian Walker was out of the lineup on Sunday with what Lovullo described as a “little bit of a hip pointer.” Walker said it happened on a home-plate collision on Saturday with Cubs catcher Willson Contreras.

“(It’s) my right hip,” Walker said. “I don’t know if it hit the ground or hit his shin guard, but our legs got tangled up. Just right hip soreness. Just a weird angle, tough play. He had to come across in the line blocking the plate, I tried to sneak in there.”

Walker said he had soreness and tightness in his hips and legs but expects to be good to go on Monday in Pittsburgh.

“The team’s in a good place and we have plenty of bodies to take over,” Walker said. “I just don’t want to try to be a tough guy and just not be 100 percent out there for the team.”

Short hop

The Diamondbacks sent right-hander Taylor Clarke to Triple-A Reno and recalled right-hander Jimmie Sherfy, giving them a fresh arm out of the bullpen on Sunday. Clarke pitched three innings to earn the save in his major league debut on Saturday. Sherfy's stay could be brief; the Diamondbacks are going to need to make another move when outfielder Blake Swihart is added to the roster, which is expected to happen on Monday.