PHOENIX -- The return of Brandon Crawford from the injured list on Tuesday could have provided a much-needed spark.

The Giants had lost 11 of their last 14 games entering the matchup against the D-backs, but things could be different with Crawford back in the lineup. The defense could be better. The offense could be, too.

Maybe his presence would even impact the pitching.

Instead, the D-backs found a way to win, the Giants got crossed up late and the result was a 6-2 loss that once again left San Francisco searching for answers and any type of inspiration. The Giants led 2-1 late but the D-backs scored five runs in the bottom of the eighth to seal the victory and drop the Giants’ record to 40-39 for the season.

“It’s blowing over for sure,” said Giants starter Alex Wood, who gave up one run in five innings but exited the game early because of cramps. “It doesn’t get any more frustrating than what has transpired in the last 15 games, for sure. It’s not who we are.”

The solution is a simple one: Play better. The execution is much more complicated. The club acknowledges its shortcomings during the last two weeks yet refuses to blame each other or make excuses.

“Every day that we win or lose a game, we do it as a group,” Giants manager Gabe Kapler said after his team's sixth straight loss. “First of all, a culture that points fingers in any way, shape or form is a culture that is doomed to lose in the long run. Our culture is not that type of culture so when we win a baseball game, which we haven’t done a lot of recently and I completely acknowledge that, we won the game as a team.”

Tough stretches like the one the Giants are enduring lead to questions. Does the team need to play with more energy? Is another meeting necessary? How can the club get back on track?

“We are kind of a mellow group,” said reliever Dominic Leone, who was charged with four runs on two hits in one-third of an inning and the loss. “We just go out and play baseball. There’s not a lot of boldness and brashness. We are all really good baseball players, and we go out and do our job and typically celebrate wins. Right now, it’s not rolling our way. I always think bringing a little more energy and fire can be great. I think we have the right pieces in here to do that.”

What’s certain is the Giants will continue to seek the answers to their woes. Their processes will not change.

“The work was good today, but that doesn’t matter,” Kapler said “You have to show up in the game and win the baseball game because that’s all that matters in this league. But what is really within our control is what we do leading up to the game in a lot of cases. … Our work is the most important thing. Our processes and our preparation are the most important thing. That still requires a lot of tweaks and a lot of work and a long way to go.”

Their struggles on offense are well-documented and the trend continued Tuesday. The Giants loaded the bases with three consecutive hits to start the fourth inning yet managed only one run in the frame. They didn’t score again until the seventh inning on an unusual play in left field when D-backs outfielder Cooper Hummel touched Austin Wynns' fly ball in fair territory while attempting a sliding catch with Yermín Mercedes on second base. After a replay review, Mercedes was allowed to score from second base to give the Giants a temporary 2-1 lead.

“Tonight, was a culmination of everything coming to a head,” Wood said. “Hopefully we can flip the script and come out tomorrow, leave here with a win and go play a tough San Diego team and finish this road trip strong.”