Diamondbacks drop 5th straight, 12-8 to Angels

Gary Matthews Jr. knocked in 3 runs with a double and stole home in a 4-run 4th inning, and the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks 12-8, completing a 3-game sweep at Chase Field.

The Diamondbacks self-destructed once again, committing 4 errors, including 3 in the 5th inning when the Angels scored 5 runs to go up 9-2. Arizona fought back, scoring 5 runs in the 6th, to make it 9-8, but the Angels put the game out of reach on a solo homer by Jeff Mathis in the 8th inning, and a 2-run blast by Maicer Izturis in the 9th.

The Diamondbacks have now committed 71 errors in 76 games this season, the most in the majors. Arizona racked up 11 errors in their just-completed 1-5 homestand.

Arizona starter Max Scherzer lasted just 4.1 innings, and took the loss. Scherzer gave up 4 hits and 8 runs, only 3 of which were earned, as his record fell to 5-5 on the season. Angels right hander Matt Palmer wasn’t sharp, getting touched up for 10 hits and 6 runs in 5 innings, but it was enough to improve his record to 7-1 on the season.

The Diamondbacks have lost 8 of their last 9 games and have fallen 18 games behind the first place Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League West. It’s only the 2nd time all season that the Diamondbacks have been swept, and the first since Cincinnati took their brooms out in a 3-game sweep at Chase Field in mid-May.

Incidentally, the Diamondbacks hit the road to visit the Reds for a 3-game series at Great American Ballpark on Tuesday night. The D-Backs will also head to Colorado for 3 before coming home for a 7-game homestand against the Padres and Marlins to wrap up the first half of the season.

Highlights from ESPN.com/Fox Sports Arizona

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

The Good

• Tony Clark. Since committing an error which cost the Diamondbacks the game last Sunday in Seattle, the veteran Clark has rebounded to have a pretty nice week. Clark has driven in 5 runs in his last 4 games.
• Clay Zavada. After another scoreless inning of work on Sunday, the rookie left-hander has started his career with 17.1 innings without allowing an earned run.

The Bad

• Tony Pena. The Diamondbacks reliever has failed to provide much relief in June. Pena was touched up for 3 hits and 2 runs in just two-thirds of an inning, raising his June ERA to 10.80.

The Ugly

• The 4th and 5th innings will go down as probably the worst baseball ever played at Chase Field/Bank One Ballpark. The Angels scored 9 runs and the Diamondbacks committed 4 errors, including a dropped ball by Mark Reynolds on a routine play at first (the second time that’s happened in a week), a booted ball on a line-drive right to Justin Upton and a ball right through the wickets of Felipe Lopez at second base. Not to mention, Matthews stole home from third on Scherzer, who was pitching from a wind-up, and Miguel Montero simply missed the tag as Matthews slid home safely. The Diamondbacks committed two more would-be errors in the 5th on errant throws, but Kendry Morales failed to score on either play. Morales has a heart.

MLB.com: Box Score | Diamondbacks’ Wrap | Angels’ Wrap

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