The San Diego Padres split a two-game series against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
This was a short series that consisted of two games at Chase Field in Phoenix, Arizona. The Padres have had great success against the Diamondbacks this year. Their record against Arizona was 6-1 going into this series. The Padres swept the Diamondbacks in a three-game series last week. Unfortunately, this series did not result in a sweep for the Padres.
The first game was a highly disappointing one. Not because the Padres struggled, but because it was a huge lead that was blown. The Padres scored five runs in the fifth inning to go up 6-0. Right fielder Nomar Mazara hit a two-run home run in the fifth inning. This was the start of the scoring in the fifth inning. Later in the inning, catcher Jorge Alfaro hit a three-run double, which made the score 6-0. Unfortunately, things went downhill when the game got to the seventh inning.
Starting pitcher Sean Manaea initially threw six innings without giving up a run. However, he pitched in the seventh inning and gave up three runs. Manaea was then taken out of the game without recording a single out in the seventh inning. The relievers were unable to hold the lead, and they gave up four runs for the rest of the game.
One of those runs was from a walk-off RBI groundout from Diamondbacks first baseman Christian Walker to win the game.
The Padres lost this game 7-6 after the walk-off groundout. Closing pitcher Taylor Rogers was the one who gave up the run, and he earned the loss because of it. This was Rogers’ fourth loss of the year, and he now has a record of 0-4.
The next game for the Padres was a much better result than the previous game. The pitching from the Padres was dominant, and it only took two pitchers to pitch the entire game for the Padres. Mike Clevinger started the game for the Padres and pitched six innings without giving up a run. He only gave up one hit, which was a single by Diamondbacks shortstop Geraldo Perdomo in the fifth inning. Clevinger also had six strikeouts in his outing.
Relief pitcher Nick Martinez finished the game off with three solid innings. He did not have any strikeouts in his outing, but he did pitch three scoreless innings. Martinez earned his second save of the season with his effort.
The scoring for the Padres started off in the fifth inning when second baseman Jake Cronenworth had an RBI single to drive in left fielder Jurickson Profar.
Later in the game, Cronenworth produced once again with a double in the ninth inning. With this double, Cronenworth drove in Profar once again. The Padres went on to win this game 4-0.
After this series split with the Diamondbacks, the Padres are still in second place in the National League West division with a record of 46-31. The team is 1.5 games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers in the division, but 4.5 games ahead of the current third place San Francisco Giants. The Padres have a +67 run differential, which is less than the Dodgers’ +129 but more than the Giants’ +40. Although the Padres do not lead their division, they do lead the race in the National League Wild Card race. The Padres have a 1.5 game lead over the Atlanta Braves for the top Wild Card spot in the National League.
The next Padres series will be in Los Angeles to face the Dodgers. Third baseman Manny Machado is expected to return to the lineup after missing two weeks with a sprained ankle.