Diamondbacks 4, Padres 2: Clutch Chris Carries Cahill and Company

Record: 4-0. Pace: 162-0. Change on last season: +3.

After spectacular start to the season for your Arizona Diamondbacks, they move on to face the Tucson San Diego Padres. Trevor Cahill got his first start of the season in his shiny new uniform. His spring was not what one would call "encouraging". Considering we gave up a highly rated pitching prospect, a highly rated sandwich recipient prospect, and a highly rated HBP specialist prospect for him, D'Backs fans were a little nervous.

Also making D'Backs fans nervous was the exclusion of Justin Upton from the lineup. He had jammed his thumb on his "BURRIS MUST SUFFER!" takeout slide on Sunday. He showed up as a defensive replacement later in the game, and is hoping to start tomorrow. So dodged bullet there, hopefully.

Trevor did his job, but this game would go into extra innings, where a act of clutchitude would determine the victor.

The D'Backs got things started in the top of the first against Edison Volquez. (AKA, the guy who was once traded straight up for Josh Hamilton.) A patented "Early Season Willie Bloomquist Single Special" and an infield hit from Miguel Montero set up Paul Goldschmidt to do something awesome. And awesome he did, doubling in two runs for an early 2-0 lead for the good guys.

Cahill was, to put it mildly, effectively wild. He was giving away walks like a something gives away another something (it's late). However, from all accounts his sinker had a lot of movement, possibly too much. His lone run given up was a groundout by Jesus Guzman in the 3rd which scored Chase Headley (Lamar). It was set up by Headley hitting a double and a wild pitch in the next at-bat. All in all though, not a bad debut for our newest starter acquisition. His final line was 6 IP, 2H, 1 ER, 6 BB, 5 K. None of Cahill's, or anybody else's, walks came to score in the game.

Brad Ziegler came into the game in the 7th and immediately gave up a leadoff triple to Orlando Hudson. Way to go. Jason Bartlett singled and this game was tied up. There was some scariness when Jeremy Hermida (He plays for the Padres now? Actually, you could say that about most of their current roster) took third on a Miggy error. Bryan Shaw would have none of it, and promptly got the next four outs without much fuss.

David Hernandez came on in the 9th. Through some trickery, the tying run ended up on third base with two outs. David was all like "Yeah, no" and unleashed some of the most pornographic breaking balls I have ever seen. Extra innings is a thing that happened.

Fast-forward to the top of the 11th. Old D'Backs favorite Micah Owings came in as a Padre. It was weird. He grazed Gerardo Parra juuuuuuust enough for Parra to get on first. Chris Young came up and decided that San Diego's home run killing capabilities were overrated and launched one into the left field stands. Have to feel kinda bad for Owings after all he did for us. You don't have to feel totally bad though, as the D'Backs took a lead into the bottom of the inning. J.J Putz did his thing, and your Arizona Diamondbacks are 4-0 for the first time ever. Let's celebrate! Let's drink lots of beer and make poor decisions!

Source: FanGraphs

Very Awesome: Chris Young + 26.8%
Also Awesome: Cahill, +22 %, Goldschmidt, + 18.6%
Not As Awesome: Ziegler -26.6%, Kubel, -11%

Tomorrow is a matinee against these same Padres. 3:35 PM is first pitch, and it's NOT on Fox Sports Arizona. Hope to see you there, or not. Don't let me tell you what to do. Live your own lives!