The Arizona Diamondbacks were swept by the Atlanta Braves on Sunday afternoon and have now lost their last five games. Josh Collmenter pitched well, allowing only one run over his seven innings pitched, but the offense behind him again failed to kick into gear.
Over the course of their losing streak, the D-backs have been unable to score more than two runs in an individual game. As a team, Arizona has a dismal .147 batting average over that stretch. Star Justin Upton — who was not in the starting lineup on Sunday — has cooled down significantly over the series with the Philadelphia Phillies and the Atlanta Braves, and no one has stepped up in his place.
The losing streak ties the team’s longest of the season, though their upcoming series against the Washington Nationals will provide a little relief from National League-leading competition. Though the team is arguably playing its worst baseball in months, they have maintained a little luck, with the San Francisco Giants nearly matching their losing game-for-game. This has allowed the Snakes to keep a 2.5-game lead in the division, despite their struggles.
For more coverage of the team’s struggles, head over to SB Nation blog AZ Snakepit.