Christian Walker, D-backs outlast Padres in extras

Christian Walker’s two-run single in the top of the 10th inning Saturday night lifted the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks to a 7-5 win over the San Diego Padres.

With Corbin Carroll placed at second to start the inning, Geraldo Perdomo bunted for a hit when reliever Wandy Peralta (2-2) mishandled the ball. Pinch-hitter Randal Grichuk walked to load the bases and Walker poked his hit through a drawn-in infield.

Jake McCarthy knocked in a run later in the inning on a fielder’s choice grounder as Arizona evened the series and handed San Diego just its second loss in its last 12 home games.

Ryan Thompson (4-3) pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings out of the bullpen to get the win and Humberto Castellanos got the final two outs of the 10th for his first career save.

The Padres forced extra innings when Ha-Seong Kim lined a two-out RBI double into the left field corner that scored Donovan Solano in the eighth. They nearly rallied again in the 10th as Solano doubled home Jake Cronenworth but left the bases loaded.

San Diego went up 1-0 in the first when Manny Machado singled home Luis Arraez, but Arizona responded in the second with a two-out RBI single from Kevin Newman.

Lourdes Gurriel put the Diamondbacks ahead for the first time in the fourth by bombing his 13th homer of the year to left. Arizona made it 4-1 in the seventh on Jose Herrera’s RBI double and Perdomo’s two-out run-scoring triple.

The Padres parried in their half of the seventh with a pair of two-out runs. Jurickson Profar laced an RBI double into the left field corner and Cronenworth followed by plating Arraez with a bunt single.

Neither starter was involved in the decision.

The Diamondbacks’ Brandon Pfaadt pitched 4 1/3 innings before leaving after Arraez’s liner up the middle struck him in the leg.

Arizona said after the game that Pfaadt sustained a left ankle contusion. Pfaadt scattered seven hits, allowed a run and walked none with six strikeouts.

San Diego’s Matt Waldron permitted three runs on five hits in six-plus innings, walking two and fanning six.

–Field Level Media