The Arizona Diamondbacks scored four runs in the top of the eighth, capitalizing on Padres miscues to gain an 8-6 win in San Diego and earn a split of a two-game series Tuesday afternoon.
The Padres had built a 5-1 lead through five innings on an RBI single by Austin Nola, a solo home run by Nelson Cruz, a run scored on a throwing error and a two-run homer by Xander Bogaerts. But the Diamondbacks scored seven runs in the next three innings against the Padres bullpen.
The Diamondbacks pulled to within a run in a three-run sixth against Padres reliever Nabil Crismatt on a two-run double by Geraldo Perdomo off the glove of right fielder David Dahl and an RBI single by Josh Rojas.
Arizona then made the most of three singles to score four runs in the eighth against Luis Garcia (0-1).
The Diamondbacks stole four bases in the inning, getting their final run when Rojas slid around the tag of Padres catcher Austin Nola to score on a double steal.
San Diego wasted a solid outing from Yu Darvish, who limited Arizona to one run on three hits and four walks over five innings, striking out three. Diamondbacks starter Zac Gallen had a rougher time, giving up five runs (four earned) on seven hits and a walk over six innings, with three strikeouts.
Arizona’s Jake McCarthy opened the eighth inning with a single. He stole second and moved to third on a grounder to the right side. The switch-hitting Perdomo then bunted toward third base, with McCarthy scoring the tying run as Perdomo reached first when Matt Carpenter, playing first base for the Padres for the first time, failed to field the ball.
Perdomo then stole second and scored the go-ahead run on Jose Herrera’s single to center.
Rojas drew a walk to end Garcia’s day and Ketel Marte greeted reliever Brent Honeywell with a bases-loading single. Lourdes Gurriel Jr. drove in Herrera with a sacrifice fly to deep right center, which also allowed Rojas to take third. Marte then stole second, with Rojas beating the return throw to the plate to complete the double steal and make it 8-5.
Trent Grisham homered to right off Drey Jameson with two outs in the ninth for the game’s final run.
Reliever Kevin Ginkel (1-0) earned the win with a perfect seventh ahead of Jameson’s two-inning save.
Padres designated hitter Manny Machado was ejected by Ron Kulpa in the first after the plate umpire called Machado out on an automatic third strike for being late in entering the batter’s box.
–Field Level Media
