Diamondbacks earn scrappy win vs. Padres in 1st game of doubleheader
Aug 19, 2023, 3:37 PM | Updated: 3:48 pm
Tommy Pham #28 of the Arizona Diamondbacks connects for a two-run homerun during the fifth inning of a game against the San Diego Padres at PETCO Park on August 19, 2023 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
(Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
The Arizona Diamondbacks bounced back in Game 1 of their doubleheader on Saturday with a 6-4 win over the San Diego Padres at Petco Park.
Tommy Pham gave Arizona the offensive spark it needed with a go-ahead two-run homer in the fifth inning to take a 5-3 lead, one the D-backs never relinquished. Pham hit a triple and scored in his at-bat before the home run, and his hitting streak extended to 10 games.
🗣️ Stay hot, Tommy!! pic.twitter.com/K4g9fCRHoK
— Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks) August 19, 2023
The D-backs (63-61) took an early first-inning lead with two runs on a pair of two-out singles by Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and Alek Thomas. Corbin Carroll punched the first pitch of the ballgame to left-center field for a double off Padres starter Matt Waldron.
D-backs veteran starter Merrill Kelly took the mound following Brandon Pfaadt’s seven scoreless innings in Friday’s 4-0 defeat.
RELATED STORIES
Kelly did not have his best stuff early but got through 5.1 innings with three earned runs, five hits, three strikeouts and four walks. The Padres (59-65) jumped on him in the first inning with solo shots by Ha Seong-Kim and Manny Machado.
Despite being hit with hard contact all afternoon, Kelly allowed just one run in the last 4.1 innings of his outing.
Closer Paul Sewald ran into trouble in the ninth inning with the bases loaded, but Juan Soto flew out to the wall to end the game.
Juan Soto was a matter of feet away from a walk off grand slam
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) August 19, 2023
The D-backs took two of the first three contests in the four-game series vs. San Diego with the night cap at 5:40 p.m.
Sunday’s game was moved to Saturday due to the forecast caused by Hurricane Hilary.
Carson Kelly’s new threads
Catcher Carson Kelly has found a new home after recently getting released by the D-backs on Tuesday.
The last direct piece of the Paul Goldschmidt trade in Arizona is now a member of the Detroit Tigers. He joined the Tigers on the road trip in Cleveland on Saturday but was not in the starting lineup.
Game 2 of the doubleheader starts at 5:40 p.m. on ESPN 620 AM and 98.7 HD-2, the Arizona Sports app and ArizonaSports.com.
