Diamondbacks Embarrassed in Blowout Loss to the Padres

The Diamondbacks continue their downward spiral with a 13-1 blowout loss to the San Diego Padres on Saturday. They have lost 11 of their last 16 games, and have been outscored 26-2 in their past three. Simply put, they haven’t been very competitive against their recent opponents.

“The past two-and-a-half hours of what I watched was unsatisfactory,” said Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo. “That was not D-back style of baseball in a lot of different areas.”

It was another mistake-filled day by the Diamondbacks. Whether it was running the bases or playing defense, those self-inflicted mistakes came back to haunt them. The team made two outs on the bases in the bottom of the first and an error by shortstop Blaze Alexander enabled the Padres to score two runs in the fourth. While it ultimately turned into a blowout loss thanks to the bullpen, those mistakes allowed the Padres to take early control of the game.

The Diamondbacks faced struggling starter Michael King, who entered the game with an ERA of 5.00 and averaging more than five walks per nine innings. Three of the first four hitters of the game recorded hits, but two of them were erased on baserunning blunders. Jake McCarthy was picked off first base following a bunt single to lead off the game and Ketel Marte was caught overrunning first base by Platinum Glove winner Fernando Tatis Jr. in the first inning. After that first inning, King settled into a good rhythm, holding the Diamondbacks scoreless for six innings on six hits, no walks, and three strikeouts.

Brandon Pfaadt dealt with traffic on the bases all night but kept battling hard. The right-hander allowed eight hits in the first six innings but held the Padres to just three runs (one earned) with no walks and four strikeouts. The two unearned runs came in the fourth inning when Alexander booted a tailor-made double play from Xander Bogaerts. Instead of getting two outs on the play, the Diamondbacks failed to get either runner, both coming around to score later in the inning on a fielder’s choice and a sacrifice fly. That allowed the Padres to take a three-run lead against a team that has struggled to score runs the past 10 days.

Thinking Pfaadt was in great shape when the line up turned over a fourth time, Lovullo sent him out to begin the seventh. He allowed back-to-back singles to Luis Arraez and Fernando Tatis Jr. before getting pulled from the game. What followed next was a colossal meltdown from the Diamondbacks bullpen, who were punished for location mistakes. Relievers Brandon Hughes and Bryce Jarvis allowed both inherited runners to score, plus six more runs as the Padres stretched their lead to 11. San Diego banged out 18 hits against Arizona’s pitching staff, including four from the newly acquired Arraez.

On his bobblehead night, catcher Gabriel Moreno had two hits and drove in the Diamondbacks’ only run of the game with a single in the ninth inning. The first 20,000 fans at the game received a bobblehead commemorating his 2023 National League Gold Glove Award at catcher.

The Diamondbacks will look to salvage the series finale against the Padres. Lovullo confirmed that right-hander Ryne Nelson (1-2, 4.60 ERA) will be activated from the 15-day injured list, with a roster move pending, to make this start while San Diego will send out right-hander Matt Waldron (1-3, 4.35 ERA). First pitch at Chase Field will be at 1:10 PM MST.

*