Arizona Diamondbacks beat San Diego Padres 5-0 – MLB Update
The Arizona Diamondbacks cemented their place atop the National League West division after they blanked the San Diego Padres 5-0 at Chase Field in Phoenix, Arizona to gain a three-game advantage over the San Francisco Giants on Friday, August 26.
Josh Collmenter pitched effectively into the sixth inning without conceding any run amid six hits to improve his earned-run average for the season to 3.19. Collmenter threw 101 pitches in an epic display of force as he struck-out four batters in his spell
to win his eighth game of the season with as many losses already against his name.
Wade LeBlanc failed to match his opposite number as he lost his third game for the Padres this season after an ordinary spell of four innings. LeBlanc was unglued for five runs in the course of seven hits which were enough for the Diamondbacks to improve
their win-loss record to 73-59 for the season.
Diamondbacks were imposing since the onset as they plunged four runs in the very first inning of the game followed by another effort in the second inning which completed the five runs for the D-backs.
Padres seemed to be out of sorts as a misdirected throw by catcher Nick Hundley led to the first run being scored for the D-backs. Justin Upton reiterated his authority on the plate with a well-earned run on Chris Young’s pull to the left before another
error by Hundley allowed Young to complete the third run for Arizona.
Aaron Hill has been useful this season and he showed exactly why when a well-crafted RBI towards left field allowed Paul Goldschmidt to encircle the bases and take the Diamondbacks to an unassailable four-run lead.
San Diego’s fielding remained questionable throughout the game as another error in the second inning by first baseman Jesus Guzman allowed Arizona’s pitching hero Collmenter to complete his run and take his team to a five-run lead which was never to be matched
by the Padres, who are placed last in the NL West.
The relievers did a decent job for the Padres but the damage done in the first two innings was sufficient to give Diamondbacks a division lead this late for the first time since 2008.
The D-backs lead the three-game series 1-0.
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