Diamondbacks avoid being swept by Padres

PHOENIX — Archie Bradley’s status as an Arizona Diamondbacks fan favorite grew on Sunday, with the bearded reliever striking out the side in the ninth inning for his first career save.

Bradley, appreciated for his rahrah energy and expressive nature along with a blazing fastball, got the call to finish the game in place of closer Fernando Rodney and came through, helping the Diamondbacks to a 3-2 win over the San Diego Padres.

“Keep that same mentality, attack, throw the ball the way you have all year,” said Bradley, the Diamondbacks’ top setup man with a 1.23 earned run average. “I love this team. I loved everyone involved in it. I just want to win. Rodney’s our guy. We believe in Rodney. I believe in Rodney more than anyone in the world.

“This is the best year of my life, 25 years or going on 25 . ... I love being here every single day.”

Bradley had been told beforehand that he’d finish the game in a save situation with Rodney unavailable a day after he faced six hitters while blowing a save in an 8-7 loss.

“He looked very comfortable in that environment,” manager Torey Lovullo said of Bradley. “There’s no controversy. Fernando’s still our closer.”

Paul Goldschmidt homered on his 30th birthday and J.D. Martinez went deep twice, helping Robbie Ray and the Diamondbacks avoid a three-game sweep.

Martinez hit solo drives in the second and sixth innings, the latter breaking a 2-2 tie. He has reached safely in 14 straight games and has 37 home runs this season. He hit 16 in 57 games with Detroit and 21 in 45 games since Arizona acquired him. Six of Martinez’s seven career multi-home run games have come this season, four with Arizona.

Ray (13-5) won his fourth straight start, striking out 12 in six innings while allowing two runs and four hits. Arizona remained five games ahead of second-place Colorado for the NL’s top wild card.

“The challenge with him is his fastball up looks so good to swing at and nobody hits it,” Padres manager Andy Green said of Ray.