Sedona Red Recap: Behind Chris Iannetta, D-backs shell Padres to complete sweep

PHOENIX — No Arizona Diamondbacks team has started a season better at home than this 2017 collection of players. That’s quite the statement considering a season ago, the D-backs couldn’t buy a victory at Chase Field.

Chris Iannetta homered and drove in a career-high seven runs, while Daniel Descalso, Chris Owings and David Peralta each had two RBI to help the D-backs polish off the San Diego Padres, 15-3, completing the three-game series sweep in front of 21,340 on Thursday afternoon.

The 15 runs marked a season-high.

The D-backs have won a season-best nine straight home games and at 24-8, they have set the club record for the best 32-game home start.

Patrick Corbin (5-6) benefited from the offensive explosion. He went 5.2 innings, allowing three runs on eight hits with three walks and eight strikeouts, to snap a two-start losing streak and extend his winning streak at Chase Field to five.

As unlikely as it may sound, the D-backs actually trailed in this game — twice.

They were down 2-0 and 3-2 before taking the lead, 4-3, in the fifth inning off starter Clayton Richard (4-7), who had recently pitched a five-hit, complete-game effort against them.

The victory goes down as the D-backs’ 21st comeback win, the most in the National League.

The game was blown open in the sixth when the D-backs scored six times highlighted by Iannetta’s bases-clearing double. Peralta had a two-run single and Paul Goldschmidt a run-scoring double.

The D-backs have scored five or more runs in an inning at home this season a MLB-leading nine times.

Iannetta finished with three hits.

Descalso added a solo home run.

The D-backs are 9-1 in their last 10 games against the Padres at Chase Field.

THE GOOD

First with his arm, then with his bat, Owings delivered twice in the first inning. In the top half, he threw out Jose Pirela trying to run first to third on Yangervis Solarte’s single. Pirela was initially ruled safe but after a 78-second review, the play was overturned. Then in the home half, Owings hit a two-out double to score Goldschmidt for the D-backs first run of the game.

Staying in the first inning, three pitches after the Owings at-bat, Descalso hit a soft line drive that dropped in front of the left fielder for a single. Running on the pitch, Owings scored to tie the game at 2. For Descalso, making his fourth straight start, he has now hit safely in seven of his last eight starts and reached base via hit/walk/hit-by-pitch in 12 of his last 13 overall.

Hitting in the two-hole for the first time this season and only the fourth time in his career, Iannetta came through in the fifth inning. With a runner on first and two outs, he hammered a 2-0 changeup — clocked at 83-mph — into the seats in left field for a two-run home run to give the D-backs their first lead, 4-3. It was Iannetta’s sixth homer in 11 games and eighth overall.

With bases loaded, two outs and the D-backs up a run, 4-3, in the sixth inning, manager Torey Lovullo summoned Peralta to pinch-hit for J.J. Hoover. Smart move. Peralta shot a 2-2 fastball back through the middle for a two-run single. That opened the flood gates as Iannetta followed with a 3-run double and Goldschmidt an RBI double in what would be a six-run outburst off Kevin Quackenbush.

Over a 13-batter stretch — between innings one through four — of the 10 outs Corbin recorded, seven were by way of the strikeout, including four swing-and-misses. Twice he struck out Franchy Cordero and Richard. Corbin finished the game with eight strikeouts, or one more than he fanned in his prior two starts combined. It marked the third time this season he’s fanned eight or more.

THE BAD

Each of the first five batters of the game reached base safely against Corbin, who once again struggled in the first inning. Two of those batters scored. They crossed home plate on Hedges’ RBI single up the middle, which came two pitches after a mound visit from pitching coach Mike Butcher. Corbin has now allowed 18 first-inning runs this season.

Following a scoreless second, Corbin ran into trouble again in the third inning. A leadoff single by Wil Myers was followed by a run-scoring double by Renfroe to put the Padres back in front, 3-2. Renfore, who entered the game without a hit in seven career at-bats against Corbin, now had two in two plate appearances. He singled in the first inning.

Despite five plate appearances, Jake Lamb was unable to record a hit, thus ending his 11-game hitting streak at home, which tied for the longest of his career. Lamb grounded out in his first two at-bats, walked and scored a run in the sixth, was called out on strikes — frozen on a 94-mph fastball — in the seventh and hit into an inning-ending double-play in the eighth.

STAT OF THE GAME, part I

4: The D-backs recorded their fourth series sweep of the season, all at home, and improved to 4-3 when playing with the roof closed.

STAT OF THE GAME, part II

25: The D-backs recorded 25 of their 32 RBI in the three-game series with two outs, including 10 of the 15 runs scored in the finale.

HE SAID IT

“A pretty offensive day, and the game turned around in a hurry,” Lovullo said. “I was really proud of what we did against a pitcher that has typically thrown very well against us and handled us well at times. I think our guys had a really good approach. Obviously, the day was highlighted by Chris Iannetta.”

NOTED

– Corbin threw a first-pitch strike to 18-of-27 batters faced; in addition, he reached a 3-ball count five times.

– Goldschmidt (2-for-3 with a walk) has reached base safely in a career-high 35 consecutive home games.

– Brandon Drury was hit by a pitch in the sixth inning, taking an 89-mph fastball to his upper left shoulder.

– D-backs catchers have hit 14 home runs and entered the day tied for the second-most in all of baseball.

– With a first-pitch temperature of 100 degrees, the game was played with both the roof and panels closed.

– As part of Throwback Thursday, the D-backs were in alternate home vest uniforms worn from 1998-2006.

UP NEXT

The homestand continues with a visit from NL Central-leading Milwaukee.

The Brewers are in town for three games, beginning Friday. First pitch is scheduled for 6:40 p.m. with pregame coverage beginning 40 minutes earlier on 98.7 FM, Arizona’s Sports Station.

It will be the D-backs’ Randall Delgado against Zach Davies of the Brewers in a battle of right-handers.

Delgado (1-1) is making his fourth straight start, during which time his ERA is 1.80. He’s allowed three runs in 15.0 innings pitched with two walks and 15 strikeouts.

Only once before has Delgado started versus the Brewers, and that was back in 2013, his first season in Arizona.

Meanwhile, Davies (6-3) brings a six-start unbeaten streak into the matchup that includes wins in each of his past two outings. He beat both the Reds and Dodgers throwing a combined 11 shutout innings.

Davies’ last loss that came at the hands of the D-backs saw him get roughed him up for three runs on seven hits — including two home runs — in six innings on May 25.

The D-backs have won four of their last five against the Brewers at Chase Field.

These teams split a four-games series in Milwaukee last month.

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