Padres hang 6 runs early, hold D-backs at arms reach rest of the way
Eric Evelhoch
Host · Writer
The big names for the San Diego Padres ambushed the Arizona Diamondbacks early, plating three runs in both the first and second innings, then powered through a late hiccup with a 9-4 win on Tuesday at Chase Field.
Manny Machado had a four-RBI night as he matched his season high with three hits for the Padres (59-55), while Randy Vásquez had one of his strongest starts of the season. Despite allowing two or fewer runs in eight of his last nine starts, Diamondbacks (60-54) All-Star Eduardo Rodriguez got roughed up early.
San Diego's big bats combined for nine hits and five runs scored, as Jackson Merrill matched Machado with a trio of knocks while adding a pair of RBI. Merrill also joined Fernando Tatis Jr. and Luis Rengifo in coming across home to score twice as the Brown and Gold put up 16 hits — the Padres have notched all three of their 16 or more hit efforts since July 19.
It was backed up by Vásquez following up his 4 2/3 inning relief appearance on July 30 by pitching six complete for the sixth time and not surrendering a run for the third time when getting the nod. Geraldo Perdomo was the only D-back to touch him, getting singles in the first and fourth.
Tatis got to offense going right out of the gate with a lead off rocket-liner double down the third base line, then came home to score on Machado’s one-out double. Then San Diego tacked on two more with two down, as Merrill singled to right and Machado beat out Corbin Carroll’s throw to the plate. It allowed Merrill to take second, which was key when Xander Bogaerts cracked it back up the middle for an early 3-0 lead.
The barrage continued in the second as Jake Cronenworth and Jase Bowen singled, then Cronenworth was called out on a challenge trying to advance to third on a Tatis chopper that direction
On the next pitch after the review Luis Rengifo hit a hot shot to Ketel Marte that the second baseman boxed, loading the bases on the error. Machado followed up by inside-outing a fastball down the right field line for a two-RBI single, then Merrill notched his second two-out RBI of the game with a single through the right side.
Machado added his fourth RBI in the sixth when Luis Rengifo bunted for a two-out single that chased Rodriguez, then reliever Ryan Thompson allowed a bounding ball RBI singled back up the middle. An inning later Freddy Fermin hit an RBI double to score Merrill, but the Padres would get just one and leave the bases loaded.
Sung-Mun Song replaced Bogaerts in the seventh inning after the shortstop had drawn a walk against Thompson where he fouled a pitch off his foot.
After the D-backs pushed across four in the seventh against Germán Márquez on a pair of two-run home runs to Nolan Arrenado and James McCann, San Diego pushed across another in the ninth. A Song walk and Fermin single set up Cronenworth for an RBI single, his third hit of the night.
Vásquez’s final line was six innings pitched with two hits and no runs allowed while striking out one and walking one to earn his seventh win.
Márquez conceded all four of the Arizona runs on four hits, a walk and a strikeout, then Bradgley Rodriguez settled things down with a one-two-three eighth. Griffin Canning closed it out with a clear ninth.
Prior to the game the Padres made a pair of moves to make room for recent trade deadline acquisitions on their 26-man roster. Casey Mize (who will wear No. 32) and Gage Workman (who will wear No. 99) were officially added, with JP Sears and Rodolfo Durán optioned to Triple-A El Paso.
The six-year veteran righty Mize (4-6, 2.70 ERA) will make his Padres debut in Wednesday’s game against left-hander Mitch Bratt (0-1, 5.36 ERA) for the Diamondbacks.
In his seven starts since returning from a 15-Day IL stint with Detroit, Mize averaged 5 2/3 innings per appearance, with a 3.32 ERA and 36-7 strikeout-to-walk ratio. Bratt has spent the majority of the season with Triple-A Reno, but has made five starts for Arizona and has been with the D-Backs since being recalled on July 12.
First pitch from Chase Field is scheduled for 6:40 p.m. PT.
