Arizona Diamondbacks 9, San Diego Padres 1: Perdomo No Nostromo Hero

Record: 26-18. Pace: 96-66. Change on 2016: +6.

The D-backs came into tonight hoping for a repeat of last night, as opposed to a repeat of game 2 last time they were in San Diego. Robbie Ray was looking to get his first win since April 22nd against the Dodgers, and Luis Perdomo was looking for his first decision of the season. Boy, did they deliver on this one.

In an almost dead on repeat of last night, the D-backs started on the attack. Chris Owings (leading off for the 2nd time this season) led off with a single on the first pitch he saw, followed by David Peralta ALSO singling on the first pitch he saw. They moved up a base on a wild pitch by Luis Perdomo, and then scored on an RBI single by Paul Goldschmidt. 2-0 D-backs. Then, Jake Lamb hit a double to deep center over the head of Manuel Margot to score Goldy, making it 3-0 D-backs before we even recorded an out.

That out would come on the next batter, with Yasmany Tomas going down swinging. Brandon Drury grounded out on a short little chopper that catcher Austin Hedges picked up, but Lamb moved to 3rd. It didn’t really matter what base Lamb was on, as the next batter Chris Herrmann hit a 2 run homer to straight away center field, making it 5-0 D-backs and getting us Tacos. Rey Fuentes hit a loud deep out number 3 to Margot, but the damage was done. The D-backs have 12 HRs in the 1st inning, most in MLB and 30 runs in the first. (h/t GuruB).

Robbie Ray cruised through the first inning, getting 1 strikeout on 13 pitches with no baserunners. Ray led off the 2nd striking out against Perdomo, with Owings grounding out. Peralta hit another single, Goldy was hit by a pitch (not in an area worth worrying about), Lamb walked, and all of a sudden the bases were loaded for Tomas. Tomas proceeded to crank a single to left center, scoring Peralta and Goldy 7-0 D-backs.

Robbie cruised again needing only 9 pitches to get through a clean 2nd. The D-backs were quiet in the 3rd, still up 7-0. The 3rd inning also went quickly, the only blemish for Ray was a ground ball that Drury couldn’t quite get out cleanly, but a strikeout and 12 pitches quieted the Padres.

The 4th inning saw another run cross home, with Peralta, Goldy and Lamb hitting consecutive singles to chase Perdomo, bringing in Jose Valdez and going up 8-0. Valdez only gave up a walk, while retiring the side. 8-0 D-backs. Ray only needed 8 pitches to get through the 4th with a strikeout, and he was sitting at a very manageable 42 pitches through 4 innings.

The 5th inning was quiet, with a small threat when Owings and Peralta singled back to back, but Goldy grounded into a double play, only his second of the year, to end it. 8-0 D-backs. Ray struggled a little bit, needing 18 pitches to get through the inning, but ended up with another strikeout. The 6th was quiet, as Lamb, Tomas and Drury went down in order. That would be all for Goldy and Tomas, with Descalso and Blanco replacing them at 1st Base and Left Field, respectively. Ray struggled a bit in the 6th as well, need 18 pitches, giving up a walk, a hit, and a fielder’s choice, but getting out without any runs 8-0 D-backs.

The 7th saw some defensive replacements for the Padres, trying to get their young guys some playing time. Otherwise it was a quiet inning with the side going down in order and Ray needing only 10 pitches with a strikeout. Still 8-0. The D-backs went down quietly again in the 8th. The pitching side in the 8th got a little hairy, with Ray hitting 21 pitches for the inning and 110 for the day. Lovullo pulled him after he walked his 2nd batter of the inning.

Robbie Ray’s Final Line: 7.2 IP, 2 H, 3 BB, 6 K, 0 ER. Bringing his road ERA down to a microscopic 1.03 on the year.

Lovullo went to the Bartender, Tom Wilhelmsen, for the final out in the 8th, and boy did he have trouble. First he threw a wild pitch, allowing the runners on 1st and 2nd to each move up, he then walked Matt Szczur (recently acquired from the Cubs) to load them for Wil Myers. Luckily he struck him out swinging to end the threat, keeping the game at 8-0.

Andy Green decided to send out his closer Brandon Maurer for some work, who gave up a walk to Lamb, got Blanco and Drury out, gave up a double to Herrmann, and walked Fuentes to load the bases. Lamb then came home on a wild pitch to make it 9-0 D-backs, but Maurer K’d pinch hitter Nick Ahmed to end any chance at more runs. J.J. Hoover came on for the D-backs in the 9th, and proceeded to need 28 pitches, giving up a hit, a walk, a hit by pitch, and a run on an infield single that Owings had no throw on. But he shut the door, with the final being 9-1 D-backs.

The win, coupled with the Colorado Rockies loss to Cincinnati earlier today moves us to within 1 game of the NL West lead. Tomorrow Zack Godley takes on Clayton Richard at 1:40pm Arizona Time, where the D-backs look to break out the brooms and sweep San Diego.

Bells and Whistles by Jim

Only fractionally less flat-liney a graph than last night. Another pleasantly low-impact GDT, with those present being: AzDbackfanInDc, BenSharp, Cumulus Choir, GuruB, Hazzard21, I suppose I'm a Pessimist, Imstillhungry95, Jim McLennan, JoeCB1991, Makakilo, Michael McDermott, Mr Butterworth, MrMrrbi, TylerO, aldma, asteroid, bbtng, blue_bulldog, coldblueAZ, deerhaven, edbigghead, hotclaws, noblevillain, shoewizard, since_98, smartplays and thunderpumpkin87. Comment of the Night quite easily goes to bbtng for this little gem in the first:

Tomorrow, we could end the day tied for first place. Dinger, you feel that hot breath on the back of your neck?