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Saunders baffles Padres, Diamondbacks win

Jul 27, 2011 - 6:52 AM San Diego, CA (Sports Network) - Joe Saunders sparkled on Tuesday at Petco Park, going the distance for the Diamondbacks en route to a 6-1 defeat of the San Diego Padres in the opener of a three-game series.

Saunders (7-8) gave up only one run and six hits in his nine innings of work while fanning four and walking one.

"For me it was about pounding the strike zone, putting them on the defensive rather than the offensive," Saunders said. "My command was there tonight."

Kelly Johnson went 3-for-4 with a pair of RBI while Willie Bloomquist also collected three hits. Justin Upton cracked a solo home run for the Diamondbacks, who have won three consecutive games.

Chase Headley finished with a pair of hits, including a double, while Jesus Guzman added a solo home run for the Padres, who have lost four of their last five.

Dustin Moseley (3-10) yielded five runs -- four earned -- on seven hits over seven innings in a losing effort.

"I felt like I was throwing pretty good. I just made a couple of mistakes that cost me," Moseley said.

Bloomquist ripped a one-out single in the third and came around to score on a single by Johnson to give Arizona the lead. Upton followed with a sacrifice fly to center that made it a 2-0 contest.

Arizona added a pair of runs in the sixth to push the lead to 4-0. Upton launched his 18th home run of the season to deep left-center. Chris Young followed with a walk and stole second. Miguel Montero then walked to give the Diamondbacks runners on first and second with one out. Ryan Roberts then popped a ball up to second and Young was able to score on a throwing error by Orlando Hudson on the play.

Bloomquist smacked a two-out double in the Arizona seventh and scored on a single by Johnson.

Arizona added a sixth run in the top of the ninth when reliever Pat Neshek walked the bases loaded, and then walked in Saunders.

The Padres got on the board in the bottom half of the ninth on a two-out, solo home run by Guzman.

Game Notes

Tuesday's game marks the beginning of a nine-game homestand for the Padres, all against National League West opponents...Arizona is 19-15 when wearing Gray road uniforms this season...The season series between the teams is tied at three games apiece...Arizona is 17-16 against the NL West this season, while San Diego is 14-20 against division opponents.