Padres at Diamondbacks
The San Diego Padres are in sole possession of first place in the National League West 10 games or later into a season for the first time since Sept. 25, 2010. San Diego looks to remain atop the division Friday, when it visits the Arizona Diamondbacks for the second contest of their four-game series.
Manuel Margot belted the tiebreaking homer in the eighth inning and Austin Hedges launched a 449-foot, three-run blast earlier in the game as San Diego notched a 7-6 triumph on Thursday for its sixth win in eight contests. Padres rookie Fernando Tatis Jr. recorded a pair of singles for his third two-hit performance, raising his batting average to .244, but also struck out for the 17th time in just 45 at-bats. Arizona recovered from a five-run deficit to forge a tie in the seventh inning on Eduardo Escobar's three-run homer before dropping to 3-3 on its nine-game homestand. David Peralta is swinging a hot bat for the Diamondbacks as he went 2-for-5 with two RBIs to raise his average to .367.
TV: 9:40 p.m. ET, FS San Diego, FS Arizona
PITCHING MATCHUP: Padres RH Chris Paddack (0-0, 1.04 ERA) vs. Diamondbacks RH Luke Weaver (0-0, 6.75)
Paddack has registered 11 strikeouts and given up just three hits over 8 2/3 innings in his first two major-league starts. The 23-year-old struggled with his command in his last outing as he issued four walks and was removed after throwing 89 pitches in 3 2/3 frames while allowing an unearned run and one hit. Paddack gave up one run and two hits while striking out seven in five innings against San Francisco on March 31 in his major-league debut.
Weaver didn't factor in the decision against Boston in his last turn as he gave up three runs and five hits over five innings. The 25-year-old is 2-1 with a 2.08 ERA and 1.10 WHIP in three career starts versus the Padres and has struggled with Margot (4-for-8) and Eric Hosmer (3-for-6). Weaver was part of the package Arizona received when it traded slugger Paul Goldschmidt to St. Louis in the offseason.
WALK-OFFS
1. Two of Padres OF Franmil Reyes' five hits this season have been homers as he also went deep in Thursday's series opener.
2. A native of San Diego, Arizona RF Adam Jones is 6-for-17 against the Padres this season after going 1-for-3 with an RBI on Thursday.
3. San Diego 3B Manny Machado has registered only two multi-hit performances in his 14 games with the club.