DBacks 6, Padres 2: Double Your Fun

Record: 74-74. Pace: 82-82. Change on 2011: -12

Hey! The Diamondbacks remembered how to beat the Padres at Chase Field again! The secret? Scoring more runs than the other team. I know, crazy things. But, with that sacred knowledge returned to them, could they manage the unthinkable? Pulling off such a plan two games in a row? I mean, you hear stories about teams pulling that sort of thing off, but is it just legend?

Fortunately, it was not. Today's outpouring of Diamondbacks baseball gave us a solid pitching from Trevor Cahill, Paul Goldschmidt reaching a nice round number of doubles, some career firsts for Adam Eaton and Ryan Wheeler, Miguel Montero taking a couple for the team, and more double plays than you could shake a stick at, assuming you can only shake a stick at two double plays. Scatter in some varied incompetence from the Padres, and that's just the sort of thing I like to see.

Trevor Cahill has faced some early struggles in other games this season, but not tonight- he came out on top of the Padres, sending them down 1-2-3 in the first, and then getting Yonder Alonso to ground into a double play after allowing a leadoff single in the second. He stumbled a bit after that, allowing a double to Mark Kotsay and then a wild pitch to give the Padres a runner on third, but he got a fly out to center for the final out of the inning. The Padres went down 1-2-3 in the third, and Cahill seemed to be cruising.

Unfortunately, Edinson Volquez was on his game, too. The Diamondbacks put up singles in the first and second, but couldn't advance the runners at all, and then Volquez matched Cahill with his own 1-2-3 inning in the bottom of the third. It was looking to be a bit of a pitcher's duel, and the game might depend on who blinked first.

That turned out to be Cahill, who ran into trouble in the fourth inning. Back-to-back walks put Carlos Quentin and Yonder Alonso on first and second, and Cahill managed to get Kotsay to strike out swinging for the second out of the inning. The Padres struck with back to back singles two runs for the lead before Volquez grounded into a fielder's choice to end the inning, leaving the Padres up 2-0.

The Diamondbacks didn't waste any time cutting into the lead. In the bottom of the fourth, Justin Upton led off the inning with a double, followed swiftly by another double from Miguel Montero. But the offense couldn't scrap together much more that inning, though Montero took third on a fly out from Jason Kubel. But they'd managed to get a little closer, 2-1.

In the fifth, Cahill looked unshaken by the fourth inning, getting three ground outs around a walk. And the Diamondbacks offense stepped up again in the bottom of the inning. John McDonald started it off with a single, and then took second on a sacrifice bunt from Cahill. Adam Eaton came to the plate and got his first career triple, launching it to left center and scoring McDonald to tie the game. That tie didn't last long, though, as Volquez stepped off the rubber with the wrong foot with Aaron Hill at the plate. The home plate and second base umpires swiftly called balk, and Eaton scored to give Arizona the lead. After Hill flew out to center, Upton hit his second double of the game with two outs. Montero was hit by a pitch and brought up Paul Goldschmidt, who hit a double of his own to bring Upton in to score. Kubel lined out to end the inning, and Arizona went back out on defense, up 4-2.

San Diego tried to mount a rally, leading off the sixth with a single from Yonder Alonso, but that was cut down when Kotsay lined directly to Goldschmidt, who stepped on first to complete the unassisted double play. Venable ended the inning with a strike out. That was all for Cahill tonight, who gave up 5 hits and 4 walks in 6 innings, but only 2 runs.

Brad Ziegler came in for the seventh inning, and let San Diego lead off the inning with a single. As quickly as Jim could type "Another double-play please," his wish was granted, as Ziegler got pinch hitter Andy Parrino to ground to Goldschmidt for a 3-6-3 double play. David Hernandez came in for the eighth and allowed Chase Headley to single, take second on a wild pitch, and go to third on a ground out, but San Diego couldn't score.

Arizona added on in the eighth inning. Brad Boxberger came in to pitch, reinforcing my theory that the Padres draft players based on their names, and hit Miguel Montero, for Miggy's second HBP of the game. Quick outs from Goldschmidt and Kubel made it look like his sacrifice may have been in vain, but Ryan Wheeler wasn't about to let that happen. He launched a ball to deep right, and ended up a few feet shy of a two run home run, but had to settle for his first career triple, scoring Montero for his first career RBI. However, the Padres defense relayed the throw from the outfield into the dugout, allowing Wheeler to come in to score for tacos. 6-2, Arizona.

Matt Lindstrom came in to close out the ninth, getting three consecutive groundouts from the Padres, and giving Arizona a win.

imstillhungry95 ruled the comment thread with 148 of the 349 comments. hotclaws and asteroid took second and third, with Jim McLennan, AzDbackfanInDc, SongBird, Rockkstarr12, dbacks79, GuruB, onedotfive, snakecharmer, kishi, CaptainCanuck, Husk, blank_38, and The so-called Beautiful also showing up. One comment went green, so I present without context:

arrg

just had a cat trample my boobs

♯♩♪ Hanging on in quiet desperation is the English way ♫♬♭♮

by hotclaws

I mean, the lack of context was how it was presented in the thread, so there we are.

Back to back wins against San Diego! A series win! A return to .500! Opportunities to say "Yonder Alonso" out loud, because that's the best name in baseball! Sorry, Coco Crisp, you've been dethroned.

An early afternoon game tomorrow, as Tyler Skaggs looks to pick up his second win and take a series sweep. We'll be here- will you?