The Arizona Diamondbacks' bench and Merrill Kelly got into it with the Chicago Cubs on Monday, illustrating frustrations beyond the game.
The Arizona Diamondbacks were able to get back on track in the second game of their series against the Chicago Cubs with a 5-4 win on Tuesday at Chase Field in Phoenix, and it was needed after the events of Monday’s game.
The Diamondbacks were blown out by Chicago, 7-0, to open the series, and things got ugly at the halfway point.
Tensions rise
Merrill Kelly made his 24th start of the season, and in the fifth inning, suspicions began to brew from the 37-year-old and Arizona’s bench regarding sign-stealing maneuvers from Cubs third base coach Quintin Berry.
Frustrations boiled over, and the Diamondbacks’ bench began tossing expletive-filled accusations toward the Cubs as the two sides argued as to whether or not Berry was relaying signs, and Johnny Flores Jr. of The Athletic reported that Kelly felt every time he was throwing a changeup, it was being relayed.
Eventually, manager Torey Lovullo had to exercise a mound visit to calm the situation, but the tension could be felt even after Kelly's outing ended in the following inning. The real damage began after Kelly’s evening came to a close, but he was still assessed the loss that moved him to 8-12 on the season.
The underlying issue
The level of competitive spirit in August is how Diamondbacks bench coach Jeff Banister assessed the situation, but there is more to it than that.
Lovullo's emphasis on the situation was more accurate, as he pointed to the edgy nature of both teams dictated by this juncture of the season. But for both clubs, the stakes are vastly different.
The Cubs have held a healthy lead in the National League Wild Card standings for some time now, while Arizona has been trying to fight its way back into being one of the top three seeds that will get a nod for postseason baseball in October. This is a critical series, and while Chicago has room for error, the Diamondbacks do not.
Arizona needs every win it can get, because while it is only one game behind the San Diego Padres for third place in the NL Wild Card race, any defeat from here on out carries more weight.
For Kelly, there has to be individual frustration, also. He is now 0-4 in August, and good outings have been hard to come by for him this season.
Kelly is showing his age, and it is clear he wants to have another crack at the playoffs with his career winding down. A chance to beat and gain some ground on the Cubs is also satisfying, so if he feels cheating was involved, then it quickly provokes anger.
