No luck with 'kill shot': Arizona Diamondbacks' defense adds to trouble in loss to Padres

The top of the first inning ended up being the part of Friday night's game that affected the Diamondbacks the most in their 5-3 loss to the San Diego Padres at Chase Field. San Diego scored four runs and got help from an Arizona defense that could not make a few key plays.

Defensive plays the team has regularly made all season were instead key hits for the Padres. In the first inning alone — through no lack of effort — Luis Arraez doubled just out of the reach of right fielder Pavin Smith. Manny Machado singled past second baseman Ketel Marte on what could have been a double play ball, and Marte threw high and past first baseman Christian Walker when he couldn't get the ball out of his glove after a forceout at second base.

Marte was handed an error on the latter play, and after the game was asked about it. He has just five errors in 111 games at second base this season, placing him in the top five in the majors.

"The game is in the past. We had a few problems out there, including my error. Little problems that affected the game," Marte said in Spanish. "But it's not over. We have two games left and we have to give it the best we have."

Both plays helped the Padres get on base, and they cashed in. Not having a good grip on the ball that turned into his error was just an excuse, Marte said.

"I think I'm the best over there at second. These are things that happen in the game and well, we got down by a run and it can affect the game," he said.

On the Machado play, Marte elected to not get in front of the sharply hit ball and side-swipe it, but the ball bounced into right field.

"It wasn't an easy play. I thought I could handle it," Marte said. "I don't pay too much attention to it. I'm the best one over there."

Manager Torey Lovullo said he planned to take a closer look at what happened defensively in the inning.

"It looked like a little bit of a tough play. Something in between," Lovullo said of the Machado hit. "Maybe body up to it, try to knock it down, get one out. But he's going for the kill shot. We talk about the kill shots all the time here, that's how we play the game. We go for it, we don't back down. And I know that's what he was trying to do, just didn't get it done."

Marte's plays were part of an interesting night of defense for the Diamondbacks. Smith and center fielder Corbin Carroll couldn't get to what ended up being an Arraez RBI triple in the fourth inning. Lovullo said that by going with Smith in right field and not the athletic Jake McCarthy, he was looking for offense.

Regarding Marte, Lovullo said the throwing error looked like a matter of Marte not having a good grip on the ball.

"These are tough plays, and he's a very good second baseman," Lovullo said.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: No luck with 'kill shot': Arizona Diamondbacks' defense adds to trouble in loss to Padres