Well, there's a first time for everything. Unfortunately for the Dbacks, this first -- the Padres' first three-game sweep at Chase Field in franchise history -- wasn't so fun.
The D-Backs fell to the Padres 8-6 Wednesday night in front of a disgruntled sold-out crowd of 46,819. It was the first sold-out game at Chase since the season opener and the D-Backs' fifth straight loss. They now find themselves three games below the .500 mark and a week out from the All-Star break.
The NL West slips farther and farther out of reach.
Offensively Jason Kubel carried the drive, starting of strong with a three run homer in the bottom of the first. With the Padres scoring once in their first at bat, Kubel gave the Dbacks their first and only lead in the entire series. He continues the hot streak he started back in June when he hit 27 RBIs. So far this month he's already driven in eight. It's been one of the few bright lights in the rather bleak few weeks of play for the team.
This was his 13th home run of the season; Tuesday he hit his eighth career grand slam.
On the other side of things, Justin Upton struggled both offensively (0-5) and defensively. He got close to the two-run pinch-hit homer Yasmani Grandal blasted over the right field wall in the eighth, but not close enough.
After Kubel's home run the Dbacks remained scoreless until the seventh while the Padres put up single runs in the both the third and fourth innings. In the top of the seventh, the Padres' Alexi Amarista brought home Chris Denforia on a single to center. Later that inning Gerardo Parra stole to second and scored thanks to Willie Bloomquist's single to tie the game. Aaron Hill missed a home run to left field by a foot but ended up striking out.
In the eighth relief pitcher David Hernandez chalked up two outs quite quickly but hit Logan Forsyth, which gave Grandal the at-bat to score what would essentially become the game winning homerun.
Both teams put up two more in the ninth, but even the Dback's mini-rally (namely Stephen Drew's pinch-hit RBI double) couldn't turn the tide.
The next game will pit Wade Miley (9-4) against The Dodger's Nathan Eovaldi (0-5) at Chase Field. First pitch at 6:40. TV: Fox Sports Arizona. Radio: KTAR 620 AM.