Diamondbacks 8, Padres 2: Can’t spell San Diego without an E...

After a rough start to spring, losing their last four games, the D-backs have been playing a lot better of late. They have lost just twice in the last nine contests, and this afternoon’s victory over the Padres leveled their spring record at 7-7-1. Of course, it’s only spring training. where results are as empty and hollow as... an empty, hollow thing. But after last season, I’ll take whatever I can get. The D-backs jumped out in front with a three-run second inning: Jake Hager doubled in the first run, and scored on Daulton Varsho’s single. Christian Walker then reached on the first of three Padres’ errors, allowing Geraldo Perdomo to make it 3-0 to Arizona.

Another error brought in the Diamondbacks’ fourth run in the bottom of the fifth. Theoretical tacos were delivered in the sixth on Braden Bishop’s RBI single, and - stop me if you’ve heard this before - a San Diego miscue brought in Seth Beer. A two-run Hager homer in the seventh completed the Arizona scoring. His two hits and three driven in made him the offensive star of the afternoon. Perdomo also had a pair of knocks, as well as a walk, and is now hitting .304 for spring, so seems to be inking his name onto the Opening Day roster. Varsho and Walker each had a hit and a walk, The team had as many walks as strikeouts (6), but managed to score eight times despite going 2-for-14 with runners in scoring position.

The pitching wasn’t bad. Luke Weaver pitched three scoreless innings, on two hits and two walks with a trio of strikeouts. He threw 50 pitches, though it appears his velocity was dropping by the end of it. Humberto Castellanos worked the final three frames without allowing a hit. He did, however, give up a run, after the walk allowed came around to score on a HBP and pair of groundouts. Castellanos struck out three. Joe Mantiply looked a bit rough, tagged for a run on two hits and a walk, while retiring a pair of batters. But there were scoreless innings in relief from Miguel Aguilar and Noe Ramirez. each of whom needed only seven pitches for their three outs.

Tomorrow promises to be a long day, with a split double-header. It starts at 1:10 pm, with a game at Salt River Fields against the Cubs - Madison Bumgarner gets the start there. The second half begins over at Goodyear, where Tyler Gilbert and the rest of the squad will go against the.. Well, the Indians, according to the team’s press release. Old habits die hard: I still have consciously stop myself from doing the same thing.