Diamondbacks Surge Past Padres Behind Strong Pfaadt and Kepler’s Power

The Diamondbacks wasted no time capitalizing on Padres starter Walker Buehler, jumping out to an early lead with six runs in the first three innings. Despite the start from Brandon Pfaadt, Arizona managed to secure a 8-0 victory, reclaiming sole possession of second place in the NL West and achieving a .500 record for the fifteenth time this season.

As the game unfolded, many fans likely had their attention divided, watching Team USA’s exit from the World Cup at the hands of Belgium. Ketel Marte set the tone for the Diamondbacks, tripling on a misplayed ball off the center field wall. Geraldo Perdomo followed by getting hit by a pitch, putting runners on the corners. An errant pickoff throw by Buehler allowed the D-backs to sidestep the typical challenge of hitting with runners in scoring position. Two outs later, Max Kepler successfully navigated that challenge, scoring Perdomo and giving Arizona a 2-0 lead.

The game took a decisive turn in the fourth inning, reminiscent of the classic “That escalated quickly” meme. Corbin Carroll led off with a double down the left-field line, and just five pitches later, the score ballooned to 6-0. Gabriel Moreno’s single, followed by an RBI from Lourdes Gurriel and Kepler’s impressive three-run home run—a 417-foot blast to right—sealed the Padres’ fate. The fireworks continued as Perdomo added his sixth home run of the season, and Nolan Arenado reached double digits with his tenth home run, joining Marte and Carroll in the club.

After a challenging June, where Arenado struggled with a .554 OPS, his resurgence is a welcome sign for the Diamondbacks. Meanwhile, Brandon Pfaadt delivered his best outing of the season, achieving a Game Score of 65, his second-highest since July 18 of the previous year. He pitched five scoreless innings, striking out six and allowing only four hits, all singles, without facing a batter with a runner in scoring position. Pfaadt’s pitch count climbed to 72 as he continues to stretch back into form, having allowed just one run over 10.1 innings since his return.

While the Padres entered the game with the lowest OPS+ in the National League at 87, Pfaadt’s performance provides much-needed support for an Arizona rotation already missing key players like Michael Soroka and Corbin Burnes. His next challenge will come against the Dodgers, who boast the best OPS+ in the majors, making it a crucial test for Pfaadt’s newfound form.

Both starters exited after five innings, though Pfaadt’s struggles were expected given his recent performance. Buehler’s ERA now sits above five, a stark contrast to his pre-Tommy John surgery numbers. With this being his second Tommy John surgery, fans hope for a strong recovery.
The game effectively concluded after Kepler’s home run in the third inning. Following Pfaadt, both Ryan Thompson and Drew Jameson pitched two shutout innings each, completing the shutout with an impressive K:BB ratio of 11:0—something the Diamondbacks hadn’t achieved since September 21, 2024. This marks only the fourth time in franchise history they’ve recorded such a ratio while scoring eight or more runs.

Arizona’s offense produced eleven hits, with Perdomo, Gabriel Moreno, and Kepler each contributing two. The team went 4-for-9 with runners in scoring position, a notable improvement. This victory keeps the Diamondbacks in the wild-card race, now just 3.5 games behind the Marlins, with two of the six teams ahead of them losing.

The Diamondbacks’ strong start to this four-game series sets a positive tone as they prepare for another matchup against the Padres tomorrow night, with Zac Gallen taking the mound at 6:40 PM.

Note: This recap is an independently written summary based on publicly available reporting.