A little over a month into the 2024 MLB season and the Arizona Diamondbacks (14-20) seem to still be struggling with a bit of a hangover coming off last season’s NL Championship.
Arizona currently ranks fourth in the NL West after losing seven out of their last ten games. They were eager to try to reverse their fortunes as they hosted divisional rival, San Diego Padres (18-18), at Chase Field on Sunday afternoon.
The Padres added to their already star-studded lineup, trading for two-time batting champion Luis Arraez on Friday.
Saturday, in his first game for the Padres, Arraez promptly racked up four hits and an RBI.
Arizona’s Ryne Nelson (1-2) and Padres Matt Waldron (1-3) started the game on the bump.
Nelson did not allow a hit to start, striking out Fernando Tatis Jr. and Jake Cronenworth to end the inning.
It was quite the opposite for Waldron, as he allowed a hit to Jake Mccarthy, followed by a two-run bomb by Ketel Marte.
The Diamondbacks ended the first inning ahead by four, after a Corbin Carroll single that drove in two runs.
The Padres answered immediately, putting up three runs in the second, two of which were contributed by Jackson Merrill who hit his second dinger of the year.
It felt like batting practice for the Diamondbacks, as they continued to light up Waldron, who gave up two more runs to finish the second.
The Padres relieved Waldron of his pitching duties to start the fourth, but not even San Diego’s bullpen could stop the D-backs.
Back-to-back doubles followed by a two-run Joc Pederson blast gave Arizona an 11-4 lead heading into the halfway point of the game.
Arizona closer, Kevin Ginkel came in for the ninth to make it four straight scoreless innings to close out the D-backs win.
Arizona had five different players with two RBI’s, making it the fifth time this season they scored double digit points.
Jake McCarthy was one of those players who talked about how he is seeing the ball.
“Good… it’s nice when you’re not really crushing it but it goes through,” McCarthy sqaid. “Again—I’m just trying to swing at the right pitches… especially in the leadoff spot—be a table setter.”
Christian Walker who went two for three, with two RBI’s talked about keeping this momentum into their upcoming road trip.
“I think trusting that’s who we are, it’s not about trying harder or trying to do more or putting any extra pressure on ourselves,” Walker told reporters after the game.
The Diamondbacks start their six-game road trip on May 7 as they try to spark a winning streak against the Cincinnati Reds (16-18).
