PHOENIX, Jun 28 \u2014 Down 6\u20130 going into the bottom of the seventh, the Arizona Diamondbacks rallied for seven runs over a strange final three innings to defeat the San Diego Padres, 7\u20136, Tuesday night. Third baseman Josh Rojas, designated hitter Ketel Marte, and shortstop Jake Hager each had two hits for the Diamondbacks. Second baseman Buddy Kennedy added three RBI. For the Padres, catcher Jorge Alfaro, designated hitter Luke Voit, and third baseman Ha-Seong Kim each had two-hit nights.<\/p>\n
The game was a pitchers\u2019 duel for the first four innings, with Diamondbacks starter Zac Gallen only allowing two baserunners \u2014 both via singles \u2014 and Padres starter Sean Manaea only allowing a walk and a single. That all changed in the top of the fifth. Voit led off with a single and scored on a two-run follow-up home run by right fielder Nomar Mazara. A double by Kim and bunt single by shortstop C.J. Abrams put runners on the corners for center fielder Trent Grisham, whose unassisted RBI groundout to first extended the Padres lead to 3\u20130. Walks to left fielder Jurickson Profar and second baseman Jake Cronenworth loaded the bases for Alfaro, whose double brought them all home and gave the Padres a commanding 6\u20130 lead.<\/p>\n
But the Diamondbacks did not give up. Caleb Smith, who entered in the sixth, pitched three scoreless innings in relief. This allowed the Diamondbacks to start chipping away against Manaea in the bottom of the seventh. Marte led off with a single and advanced to second when first baseman Christian Walker drew a walk. This brought up Kennedy, hitless since his Father\u2019s Day grand slam, but someone who also squared up two balls Saturday only to be robbed by an atom ball and a highlight-reel diving catch. Kennedy squared a ball up here, too. This time, it landed nowhere near any fielder, landing near the left-field line and rolling all the way to the corner. Both Marte and Walker scored, making the score 6\u20132.<\/p>\n
Exit stage left for Manaea, who gave way to lefty Tim Hill. Kelly also smoked one to left for a double, plating Kennedy to make the score 6\u20133. A pair of groundouts brought Kelly in, one to first unassisted by right fielder Daulton Varsho and the other to second by center fielder Alek Thomas. Hager ripped a comebacker that caromed off Hill for an infield single, but a warning-track fly to center off new pitcher Luis Garcia by pinch-hitter David Peralta left Hager stranded as the inning ended.<\/p>\n
Rojas led off the bottom of the eighth against Garcia with a single and advanced to second on a wild pitch while Marte batted. Marte ultimately walked, as did Walker, loading the bases for Kennedy. He gained what will likely go down as the most painful RBI of his career when all is said and done. A 100-mph Garcia sinker drilled him on the right forearm. Once the training staff determined that Kennedy was okay and could continue playing, Padres manager Bob Melvin brought in closer Taylor Rogers. The first to face him was Kelly, who took a pitch off his left big toe. It was the same one he broke in 2021, but Kelly said afterwards that he felt fine. This brought in the tying run, and with nobody out, the Diamondbacks were in good position to take the lead.<\/p>\n
With a drawn-in infield, Varsho rapped a one-hopper to Cronenworth, who threw home to force Walker. Kelly had to stop and wait before running to second; otherwise, he would have collided with Cronenworth and been called out for interference. Consequently, he had no chance of reaching second before Alfaro could gun throw him out. The double play brought up Thomas with runners on the corners. He struck out swinging, ending the inning with the score tied and two runners stranded.<\/p>\n
Diamondbacks closer Mark Melancon entered the tie game in the top of the ninth. He walked Grisham before retiring Profar on a fly to center. That brought up Cronenworth. Two wild pitches advanced Grisham to third, drawing nervous gasps as Cronenworth struck out on a pitch in the dirt. Kelly blocked this one, throwing to first to complete the strikeout as Grisham had to hold. Alfaro also struck out on a pitch in the dirt. Kelly repeated his feat from the previous at-bat, blocking the pitch before throwing to first in time to end the half-inning.<\/p>\n
In the bottom of the ninth, Austin Nola took over behind the plate for Alfaro, who limped off the field after running to first in the top half. Rogers returned to the hill for the frame. Rojas said about this, \u201cWe knew we had a good chance\u2026. He\u2019s not used to sitting down and then coming out to throw again.\u201d It didn\u2019t look like Rogers was affected initially, with Hager and Peralta both striking out, but Rojas got to him with a 3\u20131 single up the middle. Marte followed with a frozen rope up the middle, putting runners on first and second for Walker.<\/p>\n