Brandon Pfaadt Hurt, D-backs Hang on for Thrilling Extra Inning Win

A wild and crazy road trip continued for the Arizona Diamondbacks as the defeated the San Diego Padres in 10 innings by a score of 7-5.

Playing Short Handed

The D-backs entered the game missing their All Star second baseman Ketel Marte, who is day to day with lower back tightness. Unknown to the broadcast team and fans alike, closer Paul Sewald, along with stud fireballer Justin Martinez, were also unavailable.

They'd just lost a heartbreaker the night before when Sewald was walked off by two homers in the ninth inning. The team from Arizona head into battle with confidence nonetheless, as they had their most reliable innings eater on the mound in Brandon Pfaadt.

Pfaadt Fires Strikes, Gets Injured

Pfaadt was having a sensational outing, firing strikes and getting swing and miss. At one point he threw 15 straight strikes. He didn't have his first two ball count until the 4th inning. But with one out in the fifth and Ha-Seong Kim on second base, Luis Arraez hit a come backer off Pfaadt's ankle for a base hit.

Pfaadt had to be removed from the game with what the Diamondbacks called a left ankle contusion. Torey Lovullo said after the game that there was a good chance Pfaadt could make his next start. Pfaadt gave up seven hits and one run while striking out five and not walking a batter.

Kevin Ginkel Dominates

Kevin Ginkel came on without any bullpen warmups and struck out Jurickson Profar and Jake Cronenworth in dramatic fashion to end the threat. Ginkel went on to strike out two more in the sixth, retiring the side in order. Since May 30th Ginkel has appeared in 16 games and allowed just one run while striking out 15 batters. His season ERA is down to 2.68 in 37 innings.

Unlikely Heroes on Offense Increase the Lead

Arizona was holding a 2-1 lead at the time thanks to Kevin Newman's RBI single in the second inning and Lourdes Gurriel Jr's. solo homer off a knuckle ball from Matt Waldron in the fourth.

An RBI double by backup catcher Jose Herrera in the 7th was followed one out later by a triple from Geraldo Perdomo. Those two runs upped the D-backs lead to 4-1. Torey Lovullo now had to navigate the final nine outs without Sewald or Martinez available.

Bullpen Struggles

First up after Ginkel was Joe Mantiply. He gave up four hits and two runs before handing the ball off to Bryce Jarvis with runners on first and third with two outs. Jarvis took advantage of a bad call from home plate umpire Bill Miller before finally striking out Manny Machado swinging to end the threat, protecting the now narrow 4-3 lead in the process.

In the 8th inning Jarvis gave up a leadoff double to Donovan Solano and then got the next two outs. Up stepped Ha-Seong Kim who already had two hits. Lovullo went to the bullpen, bringing in Ryan Thompson. He came in having allowed 5 of 8 inherited runners to score. That number went to 6 of 9 when Kim doubled to tie up the game 4-4.

There were questions about whether Lovullo should have brought in Thompson in the first place, and whether he should have walked Kim and pitched to number nine hitter Kyle Higashioka instead. Kim was previously 0-3 against Thompson, and Higashioka had a 1.625 OPS with three homers against the D-backs entering the game.

The move backfired as Thompson failed to execute an 0-2 slider, leaving it in the middle of the plate. Kim ripped a double down the line tying up the game 4-4. Thompson retired the side in order in the ninth inning however, to send the game to extras.

10th Inning Heroics

With Corbin Carroll starting the inning on second base, Perdomo squared to bunt and put down a beauty that Wandy Peralta couldn't field. Pinch hitter Randal Grichuk drew a walk, loading the bases for Christian Walker.

The first baseman delivered once again, ripping a two run single just past a diving Kim into center. Jake McCarthy followed with an RBI groundout, and the D-backs had a 7-4 lead.

Lovullo turned to Thyago Vieira in the bottom of the 10th. He fell behind Machado 3-1 on a pitch on the edge of the zone that had been called a strike by Miller all night. That led to a walk. Donovan Solano doubled home a run, drawing the Padres to within a run at 7-5. Vieira issued another walk before finally getting his first out of the inning by striking out Bryan Johnson.

Humberto Castellanos entered the game and struck out Kim on a wicked two 92 MPH two seamer that bore inside on Kim, trying him up. Higashioka then flew out to left and Castellanos had his first career save and the D-backs had a much needed close victory.

The D-backs now head into Sunday's game with a 44-45 record and a chance to take the rubber match of the series. Ryne Nelson will face Dylan Cease in what looks like a tough pitching matchup. But after all the craziness on this road trip, its impossible to say what will happen.

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