Through six innings, it’s a night for the bottom of the order for the Arizona Diamondbacks, who lead 3-2 over the Tampa Bay Rays at Chase Field.

Alek Thomas’ speed has produced two runs, the No. 7 hitter flying home from first base on a two-out double from No. 8 hitter Tim Tawa in the bottom of the fourth. Thomas just kept running when Tawa’s sinking fly ball fell out of Rays center fielder Kameron Misner’s glove as he made a diving attempt.

The Diamondbacks struck first. Just three pitches into the bottom of the first inning, Corbin Carroll hit his team-leading eighth home run of the season, a blast to right field that extended his streak of home games in which he’s reached base to 19 going back to Sept. 15, 2024.

Carroll has six career leadoff home runs and two in his past four games.

Starting pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez had a 1-2-3 first inning, but gave up a solo home run to Christopher Morel to lead off the second inning that tied the game at 1. Then Rodriguez got into some trouble after getting two outs, with Misner’s double, a walk to Danny Jansen and a soft base hit to center field for José Caballero to drive in Misner.

Need a break?

Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.

Rodriguez settled down and pitched four scoreless innings from the third through the sixth. The left-hander has allowed only four hits, striking out four and walking only one batter through 83 pitches.

The Rays led 2-1, but the Diamondbacks played small ball to tie the game in the bottom of the second. Thomas singled, took third on a hit-and-run with Tawa’s single and scored on No. 9 hitter José Herrera’s ground out to first base.

It was Herrera’s second run batted in of the season.

Eugenio Suarez continues to struggle at the plate, but he made a nifty play at third base to end the top of the third. He gloved a hard grounder from Morel, dropped the ball out of his glove and into his throwing hand and fired across the diamond to get Morel at first base.

-José M. Romero

Manager takes blame for injury to top reliever

While there was no update on left-hander A.J. Puk’s course of treatment for his elbow injury, Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said he feels responsible for it happening.

“Maybe I asked a little bit too much of certain guys too early,” Lovullo said. “I’ve got to learn, I’ve got to keep learning. I expressed that to him. I said, ‘This one is on me. I apologize.’”

Puk landed on the 15-day injured list over the weekend in Chicago and underwent an MRI on Monday. Lovullo said Puk is seeking multiple opinions on the test results and had yet to receive them as of Wednesday afternoon, April 23.

Puk’s usage in the opening weeks of the season was not egregious. He appeared three times in four days and four times in six days during one stretch. He also pitched on back-to-back days on two occasions.

But Lovullo made reference to a day in which he asked Puk to get loose, sit down, get loose again and then finally enter the game. He said there was another time when Puk got ready to come in but never pitched.

“I’ve got to be better about making decisions about when to get guys into games,” Lovullo said. “I pride myself on that. My overall philosophy is you get them up later than sooner, you’ve got a mound visit, you’ve got a catcher visit.

“There’s a strategy to it. I don’t want them to get there, stand on the mound, wonder if I’m getting in this game. When they get up, I want it to be like 80 percent of the time they’re getting in a game.”

Coming up

Thursday, April 24: At Chase Field, 6:40 p.m., Diamondbacks RHP Corbin Burnes (0-1, 4.64) vs. Rays RHP Drew Rasmussen (1-1, 0.87).

Friday, April 25: At Chase Field, 6:40 p.m., Diamondbacks RHP Zac Gallen (1-3, 5.60) vs. Braves LHP Chris Sale (0-2, 6.17).

Saturday, April 26: At Chase Field, 5:10 p.m., Diamondbacks RHP Merrill Kelly (3-1, 4.73) vs. Braves RHP Grant Holmes (2-1, 3.22).

(This story has been updated to add new information.)