Diamondbacks pitching is in a funk, Ildemaro Vargas keeps hit streak alive in loss to Brewers ...Middle East

By the end of the sixth inning in Milwaukee on Tuesday, the Arizona Diamondbacks had allowed 13 hits, six walks and a catcher’s interference against the Brewers.

Milwaukee entered the game hitting .300 with runners in scoring position, one of the best timely hitting teams in the league.

That equation resulted in an ugly 13-2 loss for Arizona, which has allowed double-digit runs in three of its last eight games. Catcher James McCann came in to pitch for the third time this season already — and his last two appearances have been scoreless.

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At some point, the only worthwhile storyline to watch became whether Ildemaro Vargas would extend his hitting streak to 24 games. After an 0-for-1 start with a walk and a sacrifice bunt (attempted single), he came back up for one more chance in the eighth inning.

On an 0-2 count, Vargas lined a single to center field off former Diamondbacks pitcher Jake Woodford. With the knock, Vargas tied Tony Womack (2000) for the third-longest hitting streak in franchise history.

Vargas has hit safely in all 21 games he has played this season and is the defending National League Player of the Week.

Tough start for Merrill Kelly

Merrill Kelly made his third start of the season since coming off the injured list with a back issue, and he has yet to look as sharp as the Diamondbacks have been accustomed to over the years.

Kelly walked five hitters on Tuesday, raising his total to 12 over his first three starts. This is only the third instance in Kelly’s career when he has walked that many hitters over a three-game span.

The right-hander’s WHIP rose to 2.25 — his career WHIP is 1.21.

Kelly stranded the bases loaded in the first inning, allowed a solo home run to Sal Frelick in the second and threw a 1-2-3 third inning. He had retired seven straight hitters, but walks came back to bite.

The Brewers tacked on from there, as two walks led to two runs in the fourth and three hits plated another pair in the fifth. Kelly allowed five runs in five frames, 13 runs over his last two starts.

Kelly threw 104 pitches but only 58 for strikes. He tossed at least 22 pitches in three separate innings.

And Kelly benefitted from McCann throwing out two runners trying to steal second base.

The Diamondbacks were still within striking distance down 5-2, but that no longer became the case after a disastrous sixth inning.

Brutal, brutal 6th inning

Andrew Hoffmann entered the game for Kelly to provide length, and he recorded one out. Eight runs came home to score during his outing, which went as followed:

By the end of the sixth inning, the Brewers were 8-for-15 with runners in scoring position, dinking and dunking the Diamondbacks off the field.

The D-backs have allowed eight runs in an inning twice in their last seven games.

Arizona’s offense was kept quiet for most of the game, as well. Milwaukee out-hit Arizona 15-3.

Brewers starter Chad Patrick, the one-time Diamondbacks prospect, threw five innings with two earned runs on one hit (five walks).

The Diamondbacks have dropped three of the last four games to fall to 15-13. The Brewers have won two games in a row to improve to 15-13.

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