Brandon Pfaadt won his sixth straight decision, Tim Tawa had three hits including a three-run homer, and the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the San Diego Padres 5-1 in Phoenix in a game matching National League wild-card contenders Monday.
Pfaadt (6-1) gave up five hits and one unearned run in 6 2/3 innings, with three strikeouts and one walk. His streak of 18 consecutive scoreless innings ended when the Padres scored on Nolan Arenado’s throwing error in the seventh.
Pfaadt is 6-0 with a 1.55 ERA in seven starts since being recalled from Triple-A Reno on June 30 when injuries opened a spot in the rotation. He has given up seven earned runs in his last 40 2/3 innings.
Tawa homered with one out in the fourth, after Ketel Marte walked to open the inning and Adrian Del Castillo singled with one out off Michael King (6-8).
Geraldo Perdomo had two hits for the Diamondbacks, who have won five of six and remained tied with Philadelphia for the final two NL wild-card spots.
James McCann had an RBI double and Jorge Barrosa hit a sacrifice fly in a two-run eighth.
Luis Campusano had two hits for the Padres, who had won three in a row and eight of nine.
King gave up three runs and four hits in five-plus innings, leaving after walking Arenado to open the sixth inning. He struck out five and walked four. He had been 3-0 with a 1.05 ERA in five career starts against Arizona, giving up three earned runs in 25 2/3 innings.
The Padres knocked out Pfaadt in the seventh, after Ty France drew a one-out walk and Luis Rengifo hit a two-put single. Campusano hit a grounder between third base and shortstop that Arenado fielded but threw past first for an error. Campusano was given an infield hit.
Juan Morillo struck out Xavier Bogaerts to end the inning and pitched around a single in the eighth inning before Brandyn Garcia had a 1-2-3 ninth.
Arizona catcher Gabriel Moreno was a late lineup scratch to attend the birth of his second child.
