Diamondbacks in Need of Relief

The season is only a week old, but the Arizona Diamondback’s weakest link is painfully obvious.

For the third time in three chances, Diamondback closer Gregg Olson failed to convert a save, surrendering a two-run single to Andruw Jones in the ninth inning Sunday as the Diamondbacks lost to the Atlanta Braves, 3-2, wasting a strong outing by Todd Stottlemyre.

“I haven’t gotten the job done,” said Olson (0-1), who gave up Raul Mondesi’s game-tying three-run home run in the ninth in Randy Johnson’s Arizona debut on opening day. “I think our team has played real well. We should be 4-2. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with the team except me.”

The Diamondbacks are 1-5. The Braves, 4-3, avoided falling below .500 for the first time since April 1997.

Olson’s failure also allowed Greg Maddux to escape with a no-decision despite giving up home runs to Travis Lee and Luis Gonzalez. Maddux gave up two or more homers in a game only twice last year.

“It’s good to win games like that,” Maddux said. “It gives you confidence. It keeps the guys fired up and ready to go.”

Stottlemyre shut down the Braves on only four hits in the first eight innings, giving up a run-scoring groundout to Javy Lopez in the eighth after singles by Jones and Keith Lockhart.

Olson, who also blew a save opportunity in Friday night’s game, quickly found himself in trouble when Ozzie Guillen reached on a leadoff error by second baseman Jay Bell, who allowed a hard-hit ball to glance off his glove.

Chipper Jones flied out, but Olson walked Brian Jordan and Ryan Klesko on 3-2 pitches to load the bases. Andruw Jones singled to left, driving in the tying and winning runs. Jordan scored easily ahead of Gonzalez’s throw.

“He threw me a sinker and fortunately it was out over the plate,” said Andruw Jones, who had only three hits in the first six games and was hitless in two at-bats Sunday before his eighth-inning single.

Kevin McGlinchy (1-0) pitched a one-hit ninth to win his first major league decision.