Merrill Kelly's Efficient Start Not Enough in D-backs' loss to Padres

The Arizona Diamondbacks lost a pitchers' duel in San Diego.

Jul 8, 2025; San Diego, California, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Merrill Kelly (29) delivers during the first inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images | Denis Poroy-Imagn Images

The Arizona Diamondbacks lost a tight pitchers' duel in San Diego on Tuesday, falling by a score of 1-0. Merrill Kelly was excellent through seven innings, but multiple wasted offensive opportunities helped allow the Padres to claim a slim victory.

The Diamondbacks fall to 45-47 and the Padres improve to 49-42.

Arizona Diamondbacks' Merrill Kelly Pitches Efficiently

Kelly was given the loss for Tuesday's game, but that does not represent the impressive start he put forward. The veteran righty tossed seven strong innings with notable efficiency.

Kelly gave up four hits, did not walk a batter and struck out four. His lone damage was a 358-foot wall-scraping solo homer by Luis Arraez to lead off the seventh.

Unfortunately for Kelly and the D-backs, that run would be the difference in the game. Kelly needed only 77 pitches (52 strikes) to get through those seven innings, but was lifted in favor of right-hander John Curtiss to begin the eighth.

Manager Torey Lovullo said postgame that Kelly had begun to feel "a tiny amount of discomfort" in his calf, prompting the manager to take him out prematurely.

"He said he was fine to go back out," Lovullo said. "As soon as I heard that, I said, 'No, you're out of the game.' I don't want to take any chances."

Lovullo said there is "zero chance" Kelly will miss time, according to Snakes Territory's Jesse Friedman.

Merrill Kelly felt some calf discomfort after the seventh inning, manager Torey Lovullo said, prompting his removal from the game.

Lovullo said there is “zero chance” that it will be an issue for Kelly moving forward but that he wanted to get him off his feet anyway.

— Jesse Friedman (@JesseNFriedman) July 9, 2025

Curtiss issued a walk in relief, but pitched a scoreless inning. The D-backs' bullpen will be rested for Wednesday's game as a result of Kelly's lengthy effort.

Arizona Diamondbacks' Offense Stifled By Padres Pitching

The Diamondbacks simply could not come away with the big knock. They worked five walks and three base hits, but stranded bases loaded twice.

Arizona went 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position, stranding nine batters. They made starter Nick Pivetta work hard, throwing 104 pitches to finish 5.2 innings, but Pivetta was able to escape multiple jams, continuing to hang zeroes on the scoreboard.

The Padres' outfield defense was on point. Not once, but twice did the D-backs see a home run robbed by a San Diego outfielder.

Corbin Carroll had a two-run blast taken away by Jackson Merrill in center to end the fifth inning, and Josh Naylor saw a potential eighth-inning game-tying solo homer taken away by Fernando Tatis Jr. in right.

"I think it's kind of one of those things where you just chalk it up to baseball," Carroll said. "I thought we did a good job of creating some traffic tonight.

"Pivetta's a good pitcher, and they threw some of their positive roll guys as well. I thought it was just a couple balls not going our way, one of those nights."

No Arizona hitter recorded multiple hits. Carroll and Eugenio Suárez each singled, Ketel Marte walked twice, and Jose Herrera had the only extra-base knock of the night with a double in the fifth.

The D-backs could not muster a baserunner against closer Robert Suárez, who they engineered a miraculous five-run ninth inning against in his June 14 outing at Chase Field.

The D-backs will look to take the lead in the series on Wednesday. Right-hander Brandon Pfaadt will go for Arizona, with Dylan Cease on the mound for San Diego.