D-backs stave off no-hitter, fall in 10th to Braves
ATLANTA -- Losing two of three to the weak-hitting Atlanta Braves was devastating to Arizona's fading wild-card hopes.
It could have been worse.
"I'm just happy we were not no-hit," Diamondbacks manager Chip Hale said.
The Diamondbacks spoiled Shelby Miller's no-hit bid in the eighth inning but lost 2-1 on Sunday when David Hernandez gave up Cameron Maybin's homer to lead off the 10th.
Arizona (57-59) remained 10 games behind the Cubs, currently the second NL wild-card team.
"We had our opportunities," Hale said. "We had a guy throw a great game against us."
Maybin opened with the 10th with a drive over the left-field wall on a 1-2 pitch off Hernandez (0-3).
"I felt like I made a pretty good pitch," Hernandez said. "He just made a better swing and hit it well."
Maybin said he wasn't aiming for the fence. "I was just trying to put the ball in play," he said.
David Aardsma (1-1) struck out the side in the top of the 10th.
Leading 1-0, Miller's no-hit try ended when Nick Ahmed led off the eighth with a bloop single to right field. Pinch-hitter Jarod Saltalamacchia followed with another single that finished Miller. Ender Inciarte drove in the tying run with a grounder off Ross Detwiler.
Miller, who struck out 10, has a 3.03 ERA and eight losses during his 16-game winless streak. He had four walks.
"It didn't seem so bad," said Diamondbacks second baseman Aaron Hill. "All of a sudden we look up and OK, we've got no hits. He was tough to pick up."
Miller, an NL All-Star last month, is only 5-9 despite ranking among the league leaders with his 2.43 ERA. He hasn't won since May 17 at Miami. The winless streak is Atlanta's longest since Jo-Jo Reyes went 18 games without a win in 2009.
Michael Bourn, acquired by the Braves from Cleveland earlier this month, made a diving catch on David Peralta's drive in foul territory down the left field line in the first. The catch helped Miller survive walks to Inciarte and Hill to open the game.
Atlanta had runners on first and second with two outs in the ninth when center fielder Inciarte made a leaping catch of Bourn's drive to the right-center gap to send the game to extra innings.
Diamondbacks: RHP Randall Delgado (sprained right ankle) struck out two in a scoreless inning for Double-A Mobile on Saturday night, pushing himself into consideration for a return to Arizona. "He threw the ball really well," manager Chip Hale said. "We're talking about whether we should add him going forward with this long stretch of games." ... With RF Yasmany Tomas (strained calf) back after missing three games, Hale gave A.J Pollock a break.
Braves: 1B Freddie Freeman (strained right oblique) was to begin a rehab assignment with Gwinnett on Sunday night. He is eligible to come off the 15-day disabled list on Wednesday.
Diamondbacks: RHP Jeremy Hellickson will look for his first road win since May 30 at Milwaukee when Arizona opens a series at Pittsburgh on Monday night.
Braves: RHP Williams Perez, coming off a complete-game win at Tampa Bay in his last start, will start as the Braves begin a seven-game road trip at San Diego on Monday night.
