PHOENIX, ARIZONA – APRIL 23: Starting pitcher Yu Darvish #11 of the San Diego Padres reacts on the mound during the sixth inning of the MLB game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on April 23, 2023 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
The last time Yu Darvish took the mound he struck out 12 hitters, allowed just one run in 7.0 innings, and still took the loss against the Brewers. On Sunday against the Diamondbacks, Darvish got a win but might not be able to throw for a while.
In the 6th inning of a 7-5 Padres win at Chase Field, Darvish ... who had allowed just one run despite walking five hitters ... delivered a pitch and started favoring his right leg. He bent over in discomfort and, as the Padres training staff arrived at the mound, indicated the problem was with his hamstring. Manager Bob Melvin immediately removed Darvish from the game and Yu walked off under his own power, slightly favoring the right leg.
The scare was just temporary, though. Melvin says it was a cramp for Darvish and he's expected to make his next start. In the meantime, all the offense Yu needed last week showed up in Arizona. In the 1st inning Jake Cronenworth hit a sacrifice fly to score Juan Soto (something the Padres failed to do in three chances against the Brewers) and make it a 1-0 game. Then Matt Carpenter began what would be a monster day at the plate.
Carp doubled home a pair of runs to make it 3-0. He also hit a solo home run and doubled to the opposite field in the 7th inning to drive in his 5th run of the day and, at the time, make it 7-1 Padres. After Darvish left the San Diego bullpen continued its Jekyll and Hyde season. It's either completely dominant or extremely shaky. Brent Honeywell got the final out of the 6th for Darvish but gave up back-to-back home runs in the 7th. Tim Hill also gave up two runs, including a homer in the 8th to make it a 7-5 game and force closer Josh Hader into duty for the fourth time in five days.
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He's back to being the most dominant closer in the game. Hader worked a perfect 9th inning for his 8th save of the year, pulling the Padres back up to the .500 mark as they took three of four from the Diamondbacks. San Diego is just a half game out of 1st place in the west, looking up at Arizona and Los Angeles.
The Friars finally get a day off on Monday after playing 18 straight days. They open a 3-game series at Wrigley Field on Tuesday.
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