Diamondbacks manage just 4 hits, drop 3rd in row

SAN DIEGO – Joe Musgrove was brilliant in his debut for his hometown Padres, Manny Machado homered for his first hit of 2021 and Wil Myers drove in three runs on two doubles as San Diego beat Arizona 7-0 Saturday night to open the season 3-0.

With his parents and other family members in the stands, Musgrove (1-0) held the Diamondbacks to three hits in six innings while striking out eight and walking none. After allowing a one-out single in the first, he retired 11 straight, seven by strikeout.

Rookie Ryan Weathers, who made his big league debut in Game 1 of the NL Division Series loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers, finished the combined fourhitter with three strikeouts in three innings for his first save.

Musgrove, who went to Grossmont High in suburban El Cajon, was obtained from the Pittsburgh Pirates on Jan. 19 in a three-team, seven-player trade. He was obtained three weeks after general manager acquired Yu Darvish and Blake Snell. Each of the three new starters has won his first start.

As he headed out to the mound for the start of the game, Musgrove paused at the first base line, doffed his cap and reflected for a moment. He grew up as a Padres fan and went to games with his parents, who had season tickets. He wears No. 44 to honor his favorite pitcher, Jake Peavy, who won the NL Cy Young Award in 2007 with San Diego.

Machado hit an opposite-field shot to right off Caleb Smith (0-1) with one out in the first. He had 16 homers in 60 games in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season and spurred the Padres down the stretch toward their first playoff appearance in 14 seasons.