Phoenix– The San Diego Padres jumped ahead early on Friday night in Phoenix but couldn’t hold the lead as the Arizona Diamondbacks surged with a five-run fifth inning, eventually securing a 5–1 win in the opener of a three-game weekend set.

The loss drops the Padres to 38–30, while the red-hot D-backs (35–34) have now won four straight and moved above .500 for the first time since May 21.

The game started with energy and aggressiveness from San Diego. Fernando Tatis Jr. opened the first inning with a line-drive double into the right-field corner. After Luis Arraez flied out to center to move him to third, Tatis scored on a throwing error by Arizona center fielder Alek Thomas. It was San Diego’s 10th time scoring first in the last 12 games. However, the Padres are now just 5–5 in those contests.

Arizona starter Ryne Nelson was sharp after the early unearned run. He allowed just six hits and one walk over five innings, striking out three. He threw 79 pitches (48 for strikes) and lowered his ERA to 4.14. Despite entering the game with a 5.61 ERA in nine previous career appearances against San Diego, Nelson kept the Friars off balance with an effective mix of four-seamers, sliders, and curveballs.

Padres starter Stephen Kolek entered the game riding the longest active scoreless streak among MLB starting pitchers at 15.2 innings. He opened with a clean first and worked around some trouble in the second and third. But his streak ended with Josh Naylor’s second-inning solo homer—his ninth of the season—which just evaded Tatis’ glove by mere inches in right-center.

The decisive blow came in the fifth, when Corbin Carroll led off with a solo home run to give Arizona a 2–1 lead. Ketel Marte followed with a single to extend his on-base streak to 25 games. Kolek then allowed a double by Perdomo, surrendered a sac fly to Naylor that scored Marte, hit Eugenio Suárez with a pitch, and an RBI single to Lourdes Gurriel Jr. before being lifted. In total, he was tagged for five runs (four earned) on seven hits in 4.1 innings. He walked two, struck out five, and gave up two homers on 82 pitches (52 strikes). His ERA rose to 3.50.

One of San Diego’s missed opportunities came in the second inning. After Sheets singled to right and moved to third on Cronenworth’s single to right field that snuck under Naylor’s glove at first. Elias Díaz struck out swinging on a full count. On the swing, Cronenworth attempted to steal second on the play, but on Diamondbacks catcher Gabby Moreno’s throw to second, his elbow struck the home plate umpire in his facemask, resulting in umpire interference. The runners were sent back, and Tyler Wade ended the threat with a flyout.

The game tied at 1, had it’s momentum began to shift subtly in the bottom of the third, when Corbin Carroll reached base on a dropped third strike. Stephen Kolek had Carroll swinging through a changeup for what should have been the inning’s third out, but the ball got away from catcher Elias Díaz. Not only did this extend the inning and eventually lead to another run coming across, but it added extra pitches to Kolek’s workload.

The Padres left five runners on base and went 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position. Arizona’s bullpen combined for four dominant innings of no-hit relief. Kyle Backhus pitched 1.1 scoreless, Juan Morillo got two quick outs in the seventh, Ryan Thompson tossed a clean eighth, and Shelby Miller shut the door in the ninth with a perfect frame. Miller hasn’t allowed a run in his last eight appearances.

Offensively, outside of Naylor’s 2 RBI night, Ketel Marte, Carroll, and Gurriel Jr. combined for five hits and three RBIs. The Padres’ lone run came unearned in the first, and they were held hitless over the final four innings.

Saturday’s matchup features San Diego’s rookie Ryan Bergert (1–0, 1.26 ERA, 8 K, 14.1 IP) facing off against Arizona ace Zac Gallen (4–8, 5.15 ERA, 75 K, 80.1 IP). First pitch is scheduled for 4:15 p.m. local time at Chase Field on FOX.

J.J. Rodriguez

J.J. Rodriguez is a passionate sports writer making his debut with East Village Times. Born and raised in Southwest Florida, he is a father of four and an eight-year U.S. Marine Corps veteran who has lived in Southern California since 1996. A devoted fan of the San Diego Padres, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Florida Gators, J.J. brings a lifetime of sports enthusiasm to his writing. He’s currently pursuing a degree in elementary education and enjoys life as an empty-nester with his wife of 19 years, Lisa.