Brandon McCarthy did indeed go seven solid innings tonight, but during the first inning, it didn't look like he would last that long. The first two batters of the game reached base, one on an infield single that was almost fielded by Eric Chavez. Didi Gregorius botched a 3-6-1 double-play ball and threw past McCarthy, allowing Will Venable to score with only one out in the game. But a strikeout and a groundout ended the first inning with Arizona trailing the Padres only 1-0.
The Diamondbacks tied it up when Adam Eaton, who was hit by a pitch by Padres starter Tyson Ross, to lead off the 4th inning, scored on a triple by Paul Goldschmidt. Goldschmidt was close to a home run, but the ball bounced off the bullpen fence and got away from the right fielder Venable, and Goldy stood safely at third base. He then scored on a sacrifice fly from Martin Prado, and the Diamondbacks had the lead 2-1.
In the 6th inning, Tony Campana and Eaton were both on base with no outs, and both advanced on a double steal (that was really a hit-and-run with Goldschmidt, but he struck out). Prado drove them both in with a base hit to left, just past the drawn-in infield.
The Diamondbacks scored in the 7th inning in a rather unusual manner. Gerardo Parra doubled, followed by a walk from Didi Gregorius. After a wild pitch moved both runners up, pinch-hitter Aaron Hill was walked to load the bases. Campana hit a slow roller to third, which third baseman Chase Headley threw home for the force out. Except, Parra was safe because the catcher's foot was off the plate when he had to reach high for Headley's throw. As broadcaster Steve Berthiaume pointed out, there are neighborhood plays at second base that are much more egregious than that called as out all the time, but it was a break the Diamondbacks gladly took. Gregorius was out at home on the next ground ball, and with one out, Goldschmidt beat out the double play (with help from a good slide by Eaton) to score Hill to give Arizona their sixth run.
Brandon McCarthy didn't need the pinch hitter until that 7th inning because, after the 1st, he was solid. No other Padre reached second base for the rest of the night. McCarthy allowed only three hits, all singles, and one hit-by-pitch. He was effective and efficient, and ended the night throwing only 93 pitches. He struck out five batters.
Eury De La Rosa, who came in to relieve McCarthy for the 8th and 9th, was quite effective himself. He pitched two clean innings and struck out four to close out the victory.
Source: FanGraphs
Sunshiny Day: B McCarthy, +30.5%
A Leaf in the Wind: T Campana, +11.4%
Haboob: E Chavez, -7.4%
On this quiet night, cole8865 led all commenters with 60 posts. Behind him were EatMeat and Clefo. All present were: Clefo, Dbacks4eva10101, Diamondhacks, Edwong81, Fangdango, FatBoysEatMeat, GuruB, JoelPre, PR151, Rockkstarr12, Zavada's Moustache, asteroid, azshadowwalker, cheese1213, coldblueAZ, cole8865, hotclaws, imstillhungry95, onedotfive, preston.salisbury, rd33, snakecharmer, and soco.
Clefo got 6 recs for his U of A chant, but he was pandering for recs and is disqualified. Pbbt.
You don't miss tomorrow night's game. Former ace Ian Kennedy returns to face, it was announced tonight, Double-A call-up David Holmberg. Be here or be at the game, but you'd better be following this game somehow.