Diamondbacks fall to Padres 9-4 after early onslaught and defensive miscues

Arizona manager Torey Lovullo opened his post-game remarks by noting the game’s “funky rhythm,” a fitting description of a contest dominated by San Diego’s early firepower. The Padres rattled three runs in the first inning and two more in the second, forcing the Diamondbacks to chase a 5-0 deficit before they could settle. Eduardo Rodriguez, who had thrown eight scoreless innings previously, was unable to locate his best stuff and was pulled in the sixth after allowing seven runs, five of which were earned, amid speculation of pitch-tipping.

Defensive lapses by gold-glove third-baseman Nolan Arenado and a missed double play by Ketel Marte added to the woes. Arizona’s offense sparked in the seventh with two two-run homers—first by Arenado, then by James McCann—narrowing the gap to 8-4, but San Diego answered with a ninth-inning run to finish 9-4. The loss leaves the Diamondbacks looking to rebound against newly acquired Casey Mize, while rookie Mitch Bratt is slated to start in a crucial wild-card race matchup.