D-Backs lose to Pirates, 5-1

PITTSBURGH - In a season of swings, the Diamondbacks know this bumpy ride well, even if they appeared to have gotten it out of their system recently, holding first place in the NL West for all but one day since July 29.

Read Jack Magruder's blog, Inside Baseball

With their first three-game losing steak in a month, the D-Backs have come back into range for the suddenly torrid division contenders after a 5-1 loss Wednesday to Pittsburgh, which might not be the worst team in the league but is tied for the worst record.

The D-Backs (88-70) still have their playoff hopes in their own hands, needing any combination of three victories or three losses by Philadelphia in the final four games to clinch a postseason appearance.

But Colorado now figures into the equation after catching the Phillies. Both are one game behind San Diego in the wild-card race.

“This puts some pressure on us,” said Conor Jackson, whose RBI double in the sixth inning drove in Eric Byrnes with the D-Backs’ only run.

“On the flip side, we can’t push the panic button. We’re still in a good spot. We need to come out and play like we have the last two months. This is uncharacteristic of our ball club. We have four games to bounce back and do some damage.

“One day at a time.”

The D-Backs (88-70) are expected to send Brandon Webb to the mound here today before finishing the season with a three-game series in Colorado, which has won 10 straight, although the forecast of rain could cause Webb to be pushed back to Friday to ensure his availability for one full game, according to the team’s web site.

The D-Backs remain one game ahead of San Diego and two ahead of Colorado in the NL West.

“A win cures a lot,” manager Bob Melvin said.

“We are in first place. We have our ace going (today). We are feeling pretty comfortable. We just need to come out and play,” Jackson said.

Livan Hernandez gave up 10 hits in four innings, leaving one batter after Xavier Nady led off the fifth with a home run for a 4-0 Pirates lead.

Hernandez (11-11) said he was affected by the 59-minute rain delay that occurred with two outs and a runner on first base in the last of the second inning.

The Pirates had nine of their 10 hits off Hernandez after play resumed, scoring twice in the third and once in the fourth before Nady’s homer.

“I feel good early, but the rain delay … I didn’t feel good when I got up again,” said Hernandez, who took a turn in the bullpen before getting back on the mound.

“I’ve done that a couple times (in my career) and feel good when I go back out. It didn’t happen today. The body did not respond the same.”

The D-Backs have scored seven runs in their last three games, with a four-run eighth Monday providing most of the offense.

“I don’t know if we are pressing or trying to do too much, but we are just not getting the big hit,” said Mark Reynolds, 1-for-8 with five strikeouts in Pittsburgh.

“It’s not the worst thing in the world to have a one-game lead. It’s definitely a key for us to know we have had a skid before and come out of it with 10 hits the next day. We still control our own destiny. We just have to win ball games.”

Pitcher Matt Morris has never been easy for the D-Backs, especially with something on the line, and he gave up only six hits while striking out seven.

Morris gave up three earned runs in 22 innings in three playoff starts against the D-Backs in 2001-02, and while he does not throw as hard as he did then still has a big curveball that he can locate.

“We’ve never hit him good with the Diamondbacks, at least in my history,” Jackson said.