Padres Secure NL’s No.4 Spot: Darvish and Arraez Shine in Victory over Diamondbacks

Padres Triumph over Diamondbacks, Securing Home Advantage for Wild Card Series

In a gripping Friday night showdown, Luis Arraez and Yu Darvish led the San Diego Padres to a 5-3 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks. Arraez nailed two doubles and a triple while Darvish showcased his mettle with 5 1/3 stout innings on the mound. The Padres’ successful four-run first inning provided the foundation for their triumph over the struggling Diamondbacks.

Having already punched their ticket to the postseason, this win solidified the Padres’ position as the No. 4 seed in the National League bracket. This means they’ll be hosting the best-of-three Wild Card Series in San Diego next week. Outfielder Fernando Tatis Jr. expressed his excitement about the prospect of playing in front of the home crowd at Petco, anticipating a thrilling atmosphere.

Arraez in Pursuit of Historic Third Batting Crown

As for the Diamondbacks, their chances for the final two NL wild cards are hanging by a thread as they sit just behind the Mets and Braves. With a slightly lower winning percentage due to their recent losing streak, the Diamondbacks are now in a precarious position.

Arraez, with a batting average of .314, is in the running to fend off Shohei Ohtani and Marcell Ozuna for the NL batting title. Should he emerge victorious, Arraez would score his third batting crown in as many years with three different teams, a feat never before achieved in MLB history.

Darvish Shines, Suarez Seals the Deal

Darvish proved instrumental in the Padres’ victory, conceding only three runs on three hits, while striking out four. The Diamondbacks attempted a ninth-inning rally, but Robert Suarez quashed their hopes, securing his 36th save in 42 attempts.

The Padres took the lead right from the first inning, establishing a 4-0 lead after a shaky start by Merrill Kelly. Manny Machado and Jackson Merrill added to the early momentum with run-scoring singles. The Padres’ quick start, coupled with some defensive missteps by the Diamondbacks, helped establish a lead they never relinquished.

Resilience Despite a Rocky Start

Despite the early setback, the Diamondbacks showed their fighting spirit, closing the gap to 5-3 in the sixth inning. However, their attempts fell short as Jeremiah Estrada successfully navigated the Padres out of the jam.

Darvish’s victory marked his 203rd professional win, tying Hiroki Kuroda’s record for the most pro wins by a Japanese-born pitcher between the United States and Japan.

The teams are set to face each other again in the middle game of their series on Saturday. As the Padres look forward to hosting the Wild Card series, they will also be keeping a close eye on Arraez’s pursuit of his historic third batting crown.