Losses at this point in the season are damaging when trying to stay alive for a postseason berth, and the Arizona Diamondbacks suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of the San Diego Padres, 6-5, Thursday afternoon at Chase Field.
The Diamondbacks had the bases loaded with no out trailing by one, but could not push even the tying run across home plate.
A three-run home run by Jesus Guzman with two out in the first inning off D-backs starter Tyler Skaggs put the home team in a hole early, and Arizona never made up the deficit.
The Diamondbacks made it 3-1 on Aaron Hill's 23rd home run of the season, a solo shot in the bottom of the first. Arizona mounted another threat in the fourth, but a double play destroyed any chance of a big inning although Chris Johnson hit a two-out single to drive in a run and make the score 4-2.
Doubles by D-backs killers Chase Headley and Chris Denorfia added two more runs for the Padres in the sixth inning off reliever Brad Bergesen.
Justin Upton came a home run away from hitting for the cycle and continued his hot hitting of late. He tripled to lead off the home half of the sixth and scored on a single by Paul Goldschmidt to make it 6-3.
Adam Eaton hit his first major-league home run in the seventh to make it 6-5, but the Padres' bullpen made the lead stand.
The Diamondbacks (74-75) had a three-game winning streak snapped and fell 5 1/2 games behind the St. Louis Cardinals for the second and final wild card spot.
Next up for Arizona is a three-game series in Colorado against the Rockies.