Perhaps they buoyed by the specter of a trade for batting champ Luis Arraez. Perhaps they just liked getting out of Petco Park and into a more hitter-friendly environment. Whatever it is, the Padres road trip got off to a fabulous start with a 7-1 blowout win over the Diamondbacks in Phoenix on Friday night.
Fernando Tatis Jr. and Jake Cronenworth hit back-to-back homers in the 4th inning and Manny Machado added a 2-run shot an inning later to highlight a 12-hit attack, seven of them going for extra bases. Cronenworth added a pair of doubles to give starting pitcher Dylan Cease a massive cushion that he enjoyed but didn't really need.
The right-hander was fantastic over 6.2 innings, allowing just one run on three hits and tying his season high with eight strikeouts and no walks. After suffering through a 5-game losing streak the Padres have won three straight and are just a game under .500 again. They can even their record on Saturday evening with Michael King on the mound against Brandon Pfaadt at Chase Field.
LISTEN: With NBC 7 San Diego's Darnay Tripp and Derek Togerson behind the mic, On Friar will cover all things San Diego Padres. Interviews, analysis, behind-the-scenes...the ups, downs, and everything in between. Tap here to find On Friar wherever you listen to podcasts.
Get San Diego local news, weather forecasts, sports and lifestyle stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC San Diego newsletters.
