D-backs Reach New Low in Blowout Loss to Padres

Early mistakes, punchless offense, and a Padres eight-run seventh inning lead to a 13-1 loss

May 4, 2024; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; San Diego Padres outfielder Jurickson Profar (10) slides safely into home / Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

The Padres blew open a close game with eight runs in the seventh inning on their way to a 13-1 victory over the Diamondbacks. It was a new low for a team that has been reeling from both injury and underperformance all year. Their record is now 14-20 and the Padres improve to 18-18.

New arrival Luis Arraez led off the game with a double against Brandon Pfaadt, the first of his four hits in the game. Arraez eventually came around to score on a Manny Machado single, staking Padres starter Michael King to a 1-0 lead. The D-backs got two hits in their half of the inning, a bunt single by Jake McCarthy and a line single to right by Ketel Marte.

Unfortunately both D-backs made base running blunders. McCarthy got picked off at first and then Marte made took too big a turn and Fernando Tatis Jr. caught him with a strong throw back to first. Those were base running mistakes the anemic Diamondbacks offense could ill afford.

In the fourth inning sloppy defense raised its ugly head. Pfaadt gave up a single to Jurickson Profar that was followed by a routine ground ball from Xander Bogaerts to shortstop Blaze Alexander. Instead of turning what should have been an easy double play, the ball kicked off the heel of Alexander's glove. He picked it up and threw to first but couldn't get Bogaerts racing down the line either.

After a sacrifice bunt Alexander had another chance on a ball with the infield in, but his throw home bounced on the grass well before home plate, allowing Profar to score. Arraez singled home Bogaerts for the third Padres run, with both runs in the inning unearned.

That's where things stood until the top of the seventh inning. Pfaadt allowed two singles to Arraez and Tatis. It was the fourth hit for Arraez and the end of Pfaadt's night. Brandon Hughes came into the game and after a flyout gave up a two run double to Machado and a two-run homer to Profar. Another double and a base hit ended Hughes outing, but the drubbing didn't stop there.

Bryce Jarvis came in and walked his first batter before giving up a three-run homer to Ha-Seong Kim. That would mercifully end the inning.

Pfaadt didn't pitch poorly at all. Although he gave up 10 hits in six innings, there wasn't a lot of hard contact and he didn't walk a batter while striking out four. With reasonable shortstop defense and a little bullpen support it could easily have been a one run outing.

The D-backs ended up with eight hits including McCarthy's bunt. Gabriel Moreno drove in a run with a base hit in the ninth to avoid the shutout. Outscored 54-16 in their last nine games, they are 2-7 in this stretch. Their once vaunted positive run differential now stands at exactly zero.

The D-backs will try to regroup tomorrow afternoon when they send Ryne Nelson out to the mound. Knuckleballer Matt Waldron will start for San Diego.