For the Arizona Diamondbacks to stay in contention for the NL West crown, wins are everything. But winning as many series as possible will certainly help.
To that end, the Diamondbacks fell 4-3 to the San Diego Padres Thursday afternoon at Petco Park, but left San Diego with a series win and will now look to accomplish the same at Los Angeles starting Friday.
Arizona (57-48) led 2-0 and 3-2, but the Padres, the cellar dwellers in the division, rallied for two runs off starter Daniel Hudson in the sixth inning and made it stand behind another strong showing from bullpen stalwarts Luke Gregerson, Mike Adams and closer Heath Bell.
Brandon Allen entered the game hitting .125, but his two-run homer in the second inning off Padres starter Mat Latos gave Arizona a 2-0 lead
Jesus Guzman's two RBI for San Diego tied it until the sixth, when Latos walked Allen with the bases loaded to give the D-backs a 3-2 lead. Enter Gregerson, who retired Cody Ransom and Ryan Roberts with the bases loaded to end the rally.
Former D-back Orlando Hudson knocked in Guzman with a two-out single to tie the score in the bottom of the sixth, and after Hudson hit Kyle Blanks with a pitch, Luis Martinez singled in Hudson to give the Padres the lead.
Daniel Hudson (10-7) pitched six innings and allowed four runs on seven hits. He struck out six and walked two in the loss.
Bell, who could be on his way out before the MLB trade deadline, notched his 30th save and ended the game inducing Sean Burroughs to hit into a double play.