JOSE M. ROMERO
Associated Press
PHOENIX (AP) — Tyson Ross probably deserves better than a 13-14 record this season, one that saw him make the National League All-Star team.
But Saturday night against the Arizona Diamondbacks, Ross was far from his All-Star form. He lasted just three innings and gave up four earned runs on five hits to go with two walks and a wild pitch in the Padres’ 10-4 loss.
“I didn’t really command anything, especially my breaking ball early. That’s my pitch that gets me back in counts, gives me swings and misses and poor contact,” Ross said. “They just executed their game plan better than mine.”
At least Ross had a sunny outlook on his shortest outing of the season.
“I think it is just a small bump on the road. It could have been the 31st game, it could have been the third start. It is bound to happen,” he said.
The Diamondbacks took control early, scoring six runs off Ross in the first two innings.
Ross couldn’t find a rhythm from the start, and didn’t get help from his defense. Mark Trumbo’s single in the first scored two runs when shortstop Alexi Amarista kicked the ball into shallow right field.
Then catcher Rene Rivera’s pickoff throw to first base hit Aaron Hill in the helmet. Hill and Trumbo each moved up a base, then Ross threw a wild pitch to allow Trumbo to score and make the score 3-0.
The second inning brought more pitching and fielding woes for the Padres. Chris Owings singled in a run and A.J. Pollock hit a routine grounder to Amarista, whose throw to first base pulled Yasmani Grandal off the bag for an error. That brought in another run.
Trumbo then hit a grounder back to Ross, who decided to come home to get the out. But Owings beat the throw and Arizona took a 6-0 lead.
“We came out pretty aggressive, we put a lot of guys in motion,” Arizona manager Kirk Gibson said. “It worked out for us very well.”
Trumbo had three hits and three runs batted in on the night.
Chase Anderson (9-6) got the win for the Diamondbacks, going five innings in what could have been his last start of the season as the team looks to preserve his right arm.
Grandal’s 13th home run of the season made it 6-1 in the fourth. Amarista drove in two of the Padres’ runs, one after Rivera’s triple in the sixth. Yangervis Solarte hit a solo homer in the seventh.
“We were behind the eight ball early with a big number against a pitcher who has turned out to be a bright, young pitcher for the Diamondbacks,” Padres manager Bud Black said.
As for Ross?
“He is going to be dominant but he is human,” Black said. “These things are going to happen.”
PACHECO IN A PINCH
The Diamondbacks’ Jordan Pacheco put the game out of reach in the seventh inning with a two-out, two-run pinch-hit single. Pacheco is 4-for-6 in his last six at-bats with runners in scoring position.
“He has the tools to be a productive guy off the bench,” Gibson said. “Big hit for us. The Padres started to come back and those runs were big.”
GAFFES HURT PADRES
The Padres had two errors, one each from Rivera and Amarista. Both hurt the team in the loss.
“It wasn’t a clean game at all,” Black said. “It was one of those games where we just did not execute in a number of areas.”
TRAINER’S ROOM
Padres: Reliever Joaquin Benoit (sore shoulder) is scheduled for a bullpen session Sunday, with the hope that he’ll be able to pitch in a game soon. … RHP Blaine Boyer is also dealing with a shoulder problem but isn’t ready to throw off a bullpen mound yet.
Diamondbacks: After an MRI revealed no structural damage to his back, OF David Peralta is expected to resume baseball activities Monday. But the team is in no hurry to get him back to playing, manager Kirk Gibson said.
ON DECK
Padres: RHP Odrisamer Despaigne (3-6) takes a 3.55 earned run average into Sunday’s start against Arizona. He was knocked around for six earned runs in 4 1-3 innings in his last start Monday, a loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Diamondbacks: RHP Trevor Cahill (3-11) has allowed three earned runs or less in nine of his last 10 starts. In eight starts against San Diego, he’s 2-4 with a 3.06 ERA.
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