Jorge Alfaro singled home Jose Azocar with one out in the 11th inning Tuesday night to give the San Diego Padres a 3-2 walk-off win over the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Azocar started the 11th as the ghost runner and pinch runner for Austin Nola.
Reliever Ian Kennedy, the seventh pitcher used by the Diamondbacks, struck out Nomar Mazara for the first out and then intentionally walked Eric Hosmer, who tied the game at 2-2 five innings earlier with a solo homer.
Alfaro then grounded his second walk-off hit of the season — and the Padres’ sixth — between third and short. Azocar slid home just ahead of the throw from Jordan Luplow.
Tim Hill (2-0), who induced a bases-loaded groundout to end the top of the 11th, got the win. Kennedy (3-4) took the loss.
Arizona took a 2-0 lead in the top of the third on an inside-the-park homer by Luplow, who became the first visiting player at Petco Park in more than four seasons to accomplish the feat.
Geraldo Perdomo started the rally by drawing a one-out walk from Padres starter Sean Manaea.
Luplow then hit a sinking liner to center. Trent Grisham raced in and attempted to make a sliding catch. However, Luplow’s drive landed in front of Grisham, bounced past the center fielder and rolled all the way to the fence. Luplow easily beat the off-line relay to the plate.
The Padres got one back in the bottom of the third. C.J. Abrams singled with one out off Diamondbacks starter Zac Gallen and came around on Ha-Seong Kim’s double off the glove of left fielder Luplow.
Hosmer tied the game in the bottom of the sixth with a home run into the right field seats off Gallen.
Both starters departed after six innings with the score tied 2-2. Gallen gave up his two runs on five hits and three walks with 11 strikeouts. Manaea yielded four hits and three walks while striking out six.
–Field Level Media
