SAN DIEGO – Jake McCarthy’s home run capped a six-run second inning and the Arizona Diamondbacks defeated the San Diego Padres 9-3 on Sunday to salvage a split of their four-game series.
McCarthy and Kevin Newman each had three of Arizona’s 15 hits as the Diamondbacks rallied after trailing 10-3 and 13-1 on consecutive nights. The defending NL champions, who won the series opener 4-3 on Thursday night, have won six of nine, while the Padres have lost six of eight.
“I think it was in the midseason must-win category,” Arizona coach Torey Lovullo said. “I think this team came out ready to play and showed how strong they are. I’m very proud of what we did.
“Yesterday was not an easy game to sit and watch or play,” he added. “The guys responded as well as I expected. They made a statement from the first pitch of the game to the last pitch.”
Recently recalled from Triple-A Reno, left-hander Tommy Henry (2-2) got the win in relief of opener Scott McGough. Henry allowed two runs and three hits in 2 1/3 innings, with two walks and a strikeout. Seven Diamondbacks pitchers held the Padres to seven hits.
Henry’s day started at 3:30 a.m. in Tacoma, Washington, and he caught a 6 a.m. flight to San Diego.
“I tried to get some sleep on the plane, which I think we’re all familiar with, and came here,” he said. “But these plane flights are exciting, so I was excited.”
Arizona jumped on right-hander Adam Mazur (0-1), who was making his second big league start after being drafted out of Triple-A El Paso on Tuesday. He allowed eight runs and eight hits in three-plus innings, with three walks and two strikeouts.
Christian Walker had two RBI singles for Arizona, including one in the first.
Fernando Tatis Jr. tied the game with a straight home run to center field with one out in the bottom of the inning, extending his hitting streak to a career-high 15 games, the longest active streak in the majors. He tied his career high by extending his streak at the plate to 19 games.
The Diamondbacks opened the second with six runs on five hits and a walk. Joc Pederson hit a bases-loaded two-run single, and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. hit a two-run double ahead of McCarthy’s homer to right, her third.
“Good morning,” said McCarthy. “It’s good to get to the lead early. Different from the last two days, right? I think we are all good hitters. Shout out to Tommy, he’s on a flight today at 5am I think, very impressive. It was good to win.”
McCarthy said it was “never fun to lose like that, especially to a divisional opponent” the last two nights. “It’s good to salvage a divide here, especially how one-sided it’s been the last two days.”
The Padres loaded the bases with no outs in the second against Henry, but managed just one run, on Luis Campusano’s single. Henry got Luis Arraez to ground into a double play in the bottom of the inning.
Jurickson Profar, with a 31-year career and a US$1 million contract, scored the third and tenth. This came in his 69th game, surpassing his total of nine last year in 125 games, eight with Colorado before returning to the Padres. It’s the fourth time he’s reached double figures in his career.
Profar entered the game second in the majors in batting average behind Arraez and third in on-base percentage.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Padres: 3B Manny Machado missed his fourth consecutive game with a hip injury suffered Wednesday night in a loss to the Los Angeles Angels.
TRANSACTION
To make room for Henry, the Diamondbacks designated LHP Logan Allen for assignment.
NEXT
Diamondbacks: LHP Jordan Montgomery (3-4, 7.33 ERA) is scheduled to start Tuesday night in the home series opener against the Angels, who will go with José Suarez (1-0, 6.54) .
Padres: RHP Dylan Cease (5-5, 3.51 ERA) is set to start Monday night in the opener of a three-game home series against the Oakland A’s, who scored RHP Joey Estes (2-1, 4.67).
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