When the Diamondbacks departed Chase Field last week, they looked like a team on the rise. Their offense had snapped to life. Their rotation was riding high. They looked entirely capable of ripping off a prolonged hot streak that would carry them into the stretch run.
Since then, they have lost four games in four days. They have scored a total of five runs. Their pitchers have had trouble finding the strike zone. And they have watched their record dip back below .500. After a 5-1 loss to the San Francisco Giants on Saturday night at Oracle Park, the Diamondbacks are 13-15 and are just a half-game out of last place in the National League West.