SAN DIEGO (AP) — Tommy Pham hit a two-run homer and tripled to lead the Arizona Diamondbacks to a 6-4 victory over the San Diego Padres on Saturday in the first game of a day-night doubleheader.
The teams are playing two games Saturday with Hurricane Hilary expected to hit the Southern California region on Sunday.
The Diamondbacks (63-61) have won five of their last seven games and pulled four games ahead of the Padres in the NL wild-card standings.
San Diego dropped to 3-3 on a crucial 10-game homestand. The Padres (59-65) need a strong finish and some help to rally to a playoff berth.
Pham — who has a 10-game hitting streak — drove a two-run shot in the fifth to left field to give the Diamondbacks a 5-3 lead. Ketel Marte walked prior to Pham’s 13th homer of the season.
San Diego’s Manny Machado hit two solo homers in a losing cause. He connected in the first to left field and in the eighth to right. He has 23 homers for the season.
Arizona took a 3-2 lead in the third after Pham tripled to center and scored on Christian Walker's grounder to second.
Diamondbacks starter Merrill Kelly (10-5) gave up three runs and five hits in 5 1/3 innings for the win. Paul Sewald earned his 26th save by blanking the Padres in the ninth despite giving up two walks and hitting a batter. With the bases loaded and two outs, Juan Soto hit a towering drive to the left field warning track to end the game.
The Padres recalled knuckleballer Matt Waldron (0-2) from Triple-A El Paso to make a spot start. It was Waldron’s second career big league appearance. He lasted five innings, giving up five runs, five hits and striking out five.
The Diamondbacks jumped on Waldron with two runs in the first. Corbin Carroll doubled on the first pitch of the game and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and Alek Thomas, who went 3 for 4, later hit consecutive RBI singles for a 2-0 lead.
Kelly gave up a homer to his first batter, Kim. It was Kim’s 16th home run of the season and fifth leadoff homer of his career. Later in the first, Machado homered for a 2-all tie.
PLAYING TWO
Hurricane Hilary, which is currently south of San Diego, is projected to spawn a tropical storm that’s likely to make field conditions on Sunday unplayable. Both Los Angeles teams are also hosting doubleheaders Saturday instead of playing Sunday.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Padres: Machado served as the designated hitter because of a minor right elbow issue. He went 2 for 4 with two home runs. Manager Bob Melvin said after Friday night’s game that Machado will probably play his regular 3B in the second game on Saturday.
UP NEXT
Diamondbacks: The starter for the second game of the doubleheader is TBD.
Padres: RHP Yu Darvish (8-8, 4.24) takes the hill for the second game.
