D-backs cruise past Padres behind big first inning, Walker’s scoreless outing

The Diamondbacks’ bats went right to work on Friday night and Taijuan Walker was dealing as Arizona bested the Padres at their place.

Arizona improved to 25-18 on the season with the 10-1 win.

The offensive explosion began in the first inning, when the D-backs sent 14 hitters to the plate and scored eight runs, chasing Padres starting pitcher Jered Weaver from the ballgame after the veteran recorded just two outs.

Weaver’s season ERA ballooned to a 7.44 mark, up from what was already a less-than-flattering 6.05.

In came right-hander Miguel Diaz, who eventually got the Friars out of the inning, but not before the Diamondbacks scored eight runs on fives walks and six hits, including two home runs.

Through half an inning, Arizona led the Padres (15-29) by a score of 8-0.

Meanwhile, Walker worked on the hill in what eventually was a scoreless outing for the 24-year-old right-hander. Entering the ballgame, Walker carried a 3.91 ERA on the year since coming over in a trade with Seattle in the offseason.

Walker went on to work six scoreless innings, allowing just two hits with three walks and three strikeouts, earning the win in just his second career start at Petco Park.

As Walker worked, the D-backs offense continued. In the top of the sixth inning, David Peralta and Jake Lamb each hit solo home runs to put Arizona up 10-0.

THE GOOD

–Lamb’s sixth-inning blast was his second of the night, giving him 11 round-trippers on the season and the team lead in that category. He passes Paul Goldschmidt, who has 10 home runs.

–Walker’s scoreless outing moves his ERA down a tick to 3.46. That’s a great sign for the former Mariner, who held a career 4.18 ERA before joining the Diamondbacks.

–David Peralta made a spectacular catch in the sixth inning, robbing what would’ve been an extra-base hit at least and perhaps a home run.

.@dperalta6 giveth home runs, @dperalta6 taketh away home runs. pic.twitter.com/mOEZftXfpm

— Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks) May 20, 2017

–Chris Owings went 3-for-4 with a run scored, improving his average to .329 on the year as he continues what’s been a banner year for the 25-year-old infielder.

–Walker helped himself by going 2-for-3 at the plate. Everyone in the starting lineup got a hit except for Paul Goldschmidt, who reached base twice with two walks.

–Brandon Drury had a two-run home run in the offensive onslaught, his fourth of the year.

THE BAD

–Not much.

–Just about everything went the Diamondbacks’ way on Friday, but Taijuan Walker’s three walks were a part of what kept him from finishing his two-hit shutout. Still, his outing was excellent.

–After Walker, Randall Delgado pitched effectively with three innings of one-run ball. Unfortunately, though, that one run came in the ninth inning when the D-backs were within an arm’s length of a shutout.

But if the worst things to happen on the night were the starting pitcher not finishing the game and a reliever giving up a shutout bid, that’s probably a pretty good evening. A good evening it was, indeed, for the D-backs.

Things weren’t so grand for the Padres, though, who used infielder Luis Sardinas as a relief pitcher in the ninth inning.

Sadly, not much difference between Sardinas' fastball (79) and Weaver's 83-85.

— Bill Center (@PadresCentral) May 20, 2017

UP NEXT

The D-backs and Padres still have two left to play in this series on Saturday and Sunday at 7:10 p.m. and 1:40 p.m., respectively. Then, Arizona comes back to Chase Field for three against the White Sox.

Robbie Ray (2-3, 4.57 ERA) and Zack Godley (1-0, 1.93 ERA) are slated to take the bump for the Diamondbacks for the next two games.

Follow @mattjlayman