Padres 13 @ Diamondbacks 1: Do Not, There is No Try

Record: 14-20, 128 Games Left, 4th in NL West

Well. Another baseball game. Once again against the team named for religious figures who wear colors that always reminds me of diarrhea. This time on Star Wars Day, but despite it being a bobblehead game the team, like Disney, chose not to do anything to celebrate...

Brandon Pfaadt didn’t have a great start. He only gave up one run to the Padres on a Machado blooper (SD 1-0), but there were many baserunners and it took some help from the Umpire striking Tatis out and a Marte defensive play to end it. McCarthy bunted his way onto first to begin Arizona’s offensive game. He was picked off before the third pitch to Gurriel. Technically Marte singled to right, but he took too much extra space pretending to press for second and Tatis/Cronenworth nabbed him - it was a real Wookie Mistake. After one inning San Diego not only had a lead in the actual score, but also in solid play. Carroll made a nice play in center to start the second though, so not every Diamondback failed to show up. Lourdes made one of his “impressive” plays one pitch later. Walker singled in the bottom half, but Joc, Suarez and Moreno didn’t do anything beyond getting him to second. Arraez got his second single of the night, but Blaze made a nice routine double play to end the inning before a run could score - these are the things we need to point out positively to boost his confidence. Unfortunately the third inning ended quickly once Arizona’s bats got their chance...

SAN DIEGO 1, ARIZONA 0

Profar singled then Bogaerts did as well when Blaze made an error to start the 4th. Merrill sacrificed to move both runners into scoring position and Campusano plated Profar on a grounder to Blaze tried to make a play at the plate but made a laughably awful throw (SD 2-0). Arraez followed a fly out up with his third single to left, scoring Bogaerts (SD 3-0). The bottom of the fourth was a nothingburger. But Pfaadt showed up in the fifth, nearly sending the Padres down in order - Profar singled. Moreno got a hit on his bobblehead night in the bottom of the fifth. HOLD THE PHONE! CORBIN CARROLL ALSO SINGLED! Blaze struck out to end the inning, but CARROLL WAS PRODUCTIVE WITH THE BAT! Top of the sixth was easy, and Gurriel was awarded a base hit on an interesting play at third - ump decided Machado dropped the ball but not on the transfer. Marte and Walker flew out though, ending the inning.

SAN DIEGO 3, ARIZONA 0

Pfaadt tried the seventh, but Arraez and Tatis singled, so Hughes replaced him. Pfaadt’s pitching performance was the only good thing for Arizona at that point. Hughes immediately had a pitch timer violation... He got one out before Machado doubled to deep center, scoring two more on Pfaadt’s tab (SD 5-0). PROFAR THEN HOMERED (SD 7-0). Bogaerts doubled as well. He scored when Merrill singled (SD 8-0). Jarvis took over for Hughes and walked the first batter he saw. KIM HIT A HOME RUN (SD 11-0). Arraez and Tatis were retired to end the inning. Finally.

Look. At this point, I turned on Star Wars instead. So the rest of this recap is coming from a box score play by play. If something excellent happened, I don’t know about it.

B7: De Los Santos (not that one) pitching, Joc popped out, Suarez popped out, Moreno flew out

T8: 4 defense changes, Cronenworth flew out, Rosario K’d, Azocar BB, Bogaerts ground out

B8: Morejon pitching, Carroll K’d, Blaze K’d, McCarthy BB, Grichuk K’d

T9: McGough pitching, Merrill single, Campusano double (SD 12-0), Kim ground out (SD 13-0), Arraez ground out, Wade doubled, Cronenworth K

B9: Kolek pitching, Pavin K’d, joc popped out, Newman singled, Suarez BB, Moreno single (SD 13-1), Carroll ground out

FINAL: SAN DIEGO 13, ARIZONA 1 LOSS 20

Conclusion

The team wore the new nifty black jerseys tonight, but didn’t lean into Star Wars Day. Blaze made a routine play or two, but overall, he’s solidified himself for this year: he’s a DH-only player or he needs to be demoted and taught what defense is. Pfaadt pitched well and he was let down by every other facet of Arizona baseball.

FanGraphs

Comment of the Night

First comment tonight was advocating for intentionally throwing at players who beat you, so I opted out tonight. That sort of start mixed the recent overall negativity isn’t how I enjoy supporting my team. So it’s linked if you want to read and follow along with the discourse.

Up Next

Knuckleballer Matt Waldron (1-3, 4.35 ERA, 1.35 WHIP) will take the mound for San Diego against a recently healthy Ryne Nelson (1-2, 4.60 ERA, 1.53 WHIP) at 1:10pm Arizona Time at Chase Field.