Diamondbacks’ Corbin Burnes struggles with his command again in loss to Nationals

WASHINGTON (AP) — Corbin Burnes is still searching for command of his cut fastball after two starts on Arizona’s first road trip of the season --- as well as his first victory since signing with the Diamondbacks.

The 2021 NL Cy Young Award winner slogged through five innings Sunday, giving up four runs in Arizona’s 5-4 loss to the Washington Nationals.

Burnes (0-1) allowed seven hits and four walks, hit two batters and struck out three.

“It wasn’t fun, that’s for sure,” Burnes said. “Just didn’t command the baseball and hurt myself. I think we put six guys on with the walks and hit by pitches. It’s kind of amazing we only gave up four.”

Arizona signed Burnes to a six-year, $210 million contract in December after he established himself as one of the game’s top pitchers during six seasons with Milwaukee and one with Baltimore. Burnes finished in the top 10 of his league’s Cy Young voting in each of the last five seasons and earned four consecutive All-Star nods before hitting free agency.

He gave up four runs in 4 1/3 innings and struck out eight Tuesday against the New York Yankees, and he struggled early Sunday as well. Five of the seven Nationals to bat in the first inning reached safely as Washington pushed across two runs.

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“I thought the command was a little off early,” Arizona manager Torey Lovullo said. “He was missing spots. I think he was battling some frustration.”

Washington added runs in the second and third before Burnes stranded runners on first and third in the fourth. His best inning was his last. He recorded two outs on his first three pitches in the fifth, allowed Alex Call’s single on an 0-2 slider and then caught Paul DeJong looking on his 89th pitch to end his outing.

Burnes’ ERA rose to 5.79, and he acknowledged he is still getting a feel for his cutter early in the season.

“You have stretches like this every year,” Burnes said. “I went through this last year, went through it in my Cy Young year in ’21 when it just kind of comes and goes. The days you don’t have it, like today, you have to bear down and try to get through it. Unfortunately today, when you put that many guys on, it makes it really tough to pitch deep into games.”

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