Godley, Pollock lead Diamondbacks past Padres
PHOENIX — Zack Godley and the bullpen provided the pitching. Godley was also among the players who came through with their bats.
Godley settled down after a shaky start to throw 5 1/3 solid innings and single in a run to lead the Arizona Diamondbacks to a 6-2 victory over the San Diego Padres on Saturday night.
A.J. Pollock had a solo homer and RBI single for Arizona. Deven Marrero tripled in a run, doubled and scored twice, and Paul Goldschmidt had a double and an RBI triple.
“For us to be successful in any facet of the game, especially offensively, it’s going to take a whole-team effort,” Goldschmidt said. “It’s not going to be one guy that’s going to carry this team. Tonight, we needed it.”
Seven of the nine starters had at least one hit for Arizona.
“That’s the type of offense we’re accustomed to seeing,” manager Torey Lovullo said. “Everybody contributed.”
The NL West-leading Diamondbacks, losers to
the Padres 4-1 on Friday night behind Tyson Ross’ near no-hitter, will send left-hander Patrick Corbin to the mound Sunday to try to extend their franchise record with a seventh consecutive series win to start the season.
“At the end of the day, if we can say we won every series so far this season, it would be a great accomplishment,” Lovullo said.
Pitching on his 28th birthday, Godley (3-1) gave up two runs in the first inning and blanked the Padres over the next 4 1/3. Andrew Chafin, Fernando Salas and T.J. McFarland held San Diego scoreless the rest of the way.
Godley struck out eight and walked one in an outing abbreviated by a high pitch count. But he said he felt good throughout.
“It was just one pitch that I wish I could have back (Franchy Cordero’s two-run double),” Godley said. “But other than that, I felt good. So it didn’t take a whole lot to settle back in because I had a good feel for the ball.”
San Diego’s Clayton Richard (1-2) had similar pitch-count issues. The left-hander went five innings plus a batter, allowing three runs on five hits, striking out six and walking three.
“I threw the ball all right I guess,” Richard said. “That might be the best way to describe it, but that is usually not good enough.”
Jose Pirela and Christian Villanueva singled in
the Padres’ first. With two outs, Cordero — who hit a 489-foot homer the previous night and had trouble with a fly ball that ruined Ross’ no-hit bid — doubled off the wall above the 407foot sign in straightaway center to bring both runners home.
Arizona tied it in the second. Chris Owings singled and scored on Marrero’s triple into the right-center gap. Richard struck out John Ryan Murphy for the second out, but Godley’s dribbler up the middle brought home Marrero to make it 2-2.
The Diamondbacks grabbed the lead for good with two down in the third
when Pollock homered just over the fence in right field, his team-leading fifth of the season.
Arizona tacked on another in the sixth. Owings led off with a walk, ending Richard’s night. Side-arm reliever Adam Cimber came on and got two quick outs, one when catcher Austin Hedges threw out Owings trying to steal. But Marrero, Murphy and pinch hitter Daniel Descalso reeled off consecutive singles, the last bringing in a run, and it was 4-2.
Goldschmidt tripled off the center field wall to bring in a run in the seventh and scored on Pollock’s single.