Record: 15-13-1. Change on 2025: -1. 5-inning Record: 11-16-2.
The Diamondbacks saved the best for last, punching out their biggest margin of victory in the final Cactus League game. An emphatic 11-1 victory over the Padres was anchored by Gabriel Moreno, who hit two home-runs and doubled, giving him three long-balls for spring. Jorge Barrosa also hit his third HR, and Ildemaro Vargas went deep for the second time. The D-backs pounded out sixteen hits all told, with Ryan Waldschmidt joining Moreno in the three-hit club, and Barrosa singling in addition to his homer. Ben McLaughlin drew a pair of walks, as Arizona finished by going 7-1-1 over their final nine games. Not that it matters, of course… 🙂
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The pitching was almost as good as the hitting, holding the Padres to five hits and two walks. It was a bullpen game for the Diamondbacks, and opener John Curtiss went two scoreless with a walk and four strikeouts. Brandyn Garcia rebounded from his recent struggles, fanning two of the three batters he faced. Juan Morillo was the only pitcher scored upon, allowing a solo home-run in the fourth. But thereafter we saw two scoreless innings from Shawn Dubin, then Yilber Diaz, Logan Mercado and Taylor Rashi took things the rest of the way for the D-backs bullpen.
Tomorrow, it’s back to Chase Field, for the first of two warm-up games there against the Cleveland Guardians. First pitch is at 6:40 pm, with Merrill Kelly starting for Arizona.