Diamondbacks 0, Red Sox 4

Brandon McCarthy's return was a bit of a mixed bag. On the plus side, his first hit allowed wasn't until two outs in the fourth, but he had some long at-bats and innings to get there, the first alone lasting almost 30 pitches. The net result was McCarthy being lifted with one out in the fifth, after 97 pitches, having allowed two runs on five hits and three walks with five K's. There was some good stunt work by the bullpen: Will Harris escaped a bases-loaded one out jam for McCarthy there, and after Josh Collmenter allowed two runs in the sixth, Joe Thatcher repeated the medicine.

However, the main problem was the offense. After going 78 games without being shut out to open the season, the Diamondbacks were blanked for the third time in the last 16. They were only outhit 9-8, with two hits apiece for Martin Prado and Cody Ross, but there were no walks or extra-base hits. With the Dodgers about to prevail against the Cubs, we are now 5.5 back, and I do have to ask seriously, if this is the beginning of the end for Arizona.

There's an off-day tomorrow, so we can talk about it there, before the two-game set against the Rays. The guest recap will be up in a short while.