Arizona, which was held hitless for seven innings by Blake Snell on Tuesday, busted out with 13 hits Wednesday to snap a five-game losing streak, beating the Padres 8-3 to prevent a series sweep and keep San Diego from gaining ground in the NL wild-card race.
Ketel Marte and Pavin Smith had three hits apiece and Josh VanMeter homered to back Luke Weaver, who gave up four hits, walking none and striking out three in a 79-pitch outing.
“He did a good job of managing our lineup,” Padres manager Jayce Tingler said. “We just couldn’t get anything going.”
The Padres are a half game back of Cincinnati for the second NL wild card spot after the Reds split a doubleheader with St. Louis.
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Weaver (3-3), making his first start since May 16 after being sidelined with shoulder inflammation, did a little bit of everything in his return. He gave up a single to the first batter, Trent Grisham, then promptly picked him off first base. By the time the Padres had their next baserunner in the fourth, Arizona was ahead 6-0 and Weaver was fresh from going first to third on a single that he capped with a head-first slide.
Yu Darvish (7-9) was making his second start since leaving his Aug. 12 start at Chase Field with lower back tightness. That outing also only lasted 2 2/3 innings.
This time, he gave up eight hits and six runs, five earned. He walked one and struck out three. Darvish said he felt fine physically after Wednesday’s game.
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“Some of the execution of the pitches like the two-seamer, sliders, that was the problem in the third inning,” he said through an interpreter.
“The last two months, I haven’t been able to perform the way I really want to. You just have to get down to it, work on it and your stuff back on track.”
Grisham’s 14th homer in the sixth ended Weaver’s shutout bid. Wil Myers’ 16th homer, a two-run shot off Noe Ramirez in the seventh, cut Arizona’s lead to 6-3. But the Diamondbacks got those runs back in the eighth against Austin Adams, who hit Smith and Peralta on successive pitches and then walked VanMeter on four pitches to force in a run. The other run scored on a double play.
ALSO RETURNING
With rosters expanding to 28 players at the beginning of September, the Padres activated RHP Dinelson Lamet, who made his first appearance since June 26. Lamet, who was sidelined with right forearm inflammation, worked the fifth inning for his third relief outing of the season. He struck out two with his fastball reaching 97 mph.
“One of the highlights today,” Tingler said of Lamet. “Great to see, a good one to build on.”
San Diego also activated RHP Taylor Williams from the IL and Arizona called up OF Stuart Fairchild from Triple-A Reno.
SNAKEBIT
Darvish’s start was his fifth this season against the Diamondbacks. He fell to 0-2 with a 6.65 ERA against the last-place team in the NL West.
UP NEXT
Padres: Host Houston on Friday night. Tingler said after the game that Jake Arrieta (5-12, 7.13 ERA) would likely come off the IL to start.
Diamondbacks: LHP Madison Bumgarner (7-9, 4.37) starts Friday against visiting Seattle.
