The Padres had every reason to believe Friday night could become a Petco Park celebration, but the Diamondbacks arrived with their season on the line and played that way from the first pitch. Arizona ambushed San Diego starter Casey Mize early, beginning with Lars Nootbaar’s leadoff homer, and rolled to an 11-4 victory.
Key takeaways
- Nootbaar drove Mize’s first pitch of the game, a 90.8 mph sinker, over the wall in right-center for a leadoff home run.
- Arizona used its early charge to keep its postseason hopes alive.
- San Diego entered the night one win away from securing the National League’s top Wild Card position.
- The Phillies lost 2-0 to Tampa Bay, while the Cubs were swept in a doubleheader at Fenway Park by Boston.
- A Padres win would have locked up the No. 4 seed and home-field advantage for the Wild Card Series.
Diamondbacks set the tone immediately
There was no slow start from Arizona. Nootbaar jumped on the opening offering from Mize and sent it deep to right-center, putting the Diamondbacks in front before many in the ballpark had settled into their seats.
That swing established the night’s shape. The Diamondbacks needed a win to remain in the fight, while the Padres were coming off a postseason-clinching celebration in Los Angeles the previous evening. San Diego had already earned its third straight trip to October, but the club’s attention had shifted quickly from champagne to the chance to host the Wild Card Series.
Instead, Arizona made the Padres work uphill all night and finished with an 11-4 decision. For a club facing the possibility of elimination, the Diamondbacks played with the urgency expected of a team trying to extend its season.
Home-field decision pushed back
San Diego’s opportunity was clear before first pitch. Philadelphia’s 2-0 loss to the Rays and Chicago’s doubleheader sweep at the hands of Boston had cleared the path: beat Arizona, and the Padres would clinch the National League’s No. 4 seed.
That spot would bring the Wild Card Series to Petco Park, giving the Padres an October opening in front of their own crowd. The postseason berth was already secure, but the home-field edge remained unfinished business.
Friday belonged to the Diamondbacks, though. Nootbaar’s first-pitch blast gave Arizona the opening punch, and the Padres’ next postseason objective will have to wait at least another day.
