Diamondbacks' offense was put to sleep by the Padres

Dramatic ninth inning propelled the San Diego Padres to a 5-0 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Saturday night, further complicating Arizona's pursuit of a National League wildcard spot.

The Diamondbacks (88-73) have now dropped five of their last six games, falling behind the Braves (88-71) and Mets (87-72), who currently occupy the final two NL playoff positions.

“It was just one of those nights,” expressed Diamondbacks first baseman Christian Walker. "They executed well. You've got to tip your hat, even if it's frustrating. There are two sides of it. Somebody else is doing their job when they're getting you out."

The game remained scoreless until the ninth inning when San Diego's David Peralta singled, setting up Kyle Higashioka’s two-run homer. Higashioka explained, “I was just looking for something down the middle and the slider kind of popped on him.”

Brandon Lockridge followed with his first major league homer, marking a tough outing for Arizona's A.J. Puk (4-9), who had been a dominant reliever since joining the team. “They both hit sliders,” Puk noted. “They’re good hitters. It wasn’t my day today.”

Donovan Solano wrapped up the inning with a two-run homer off Scott McGough, solidifying the Padres’ 5-0 win.

Despite boasting the league's highest-scoring offense, Arizona managed just two hits. San Diego’s Randy Vásquez, recently recalled from Triple-A, delivered an impressive performance with six scoreless innings, allowing just one hit and one walk while striking out four.

Padres manager Mike Shildt praised his team’s depth, stating, “Regardless of who we put out there, they're going to compete and play to win the game. It started with Vásquez, he was fantastic.”

Having secured the No. 4 spot in the NL playoff bracket, the Padres rested several regulars. They will host a best-of-three Wild Card Series starting Tuesday.

Arizona's Eduardo Rodriguez pitched 4 2/3 scoreless innings, but it wasn’t enough to fend off San Diego's explosive finish. The loss highlights the urgency for the Diamondbacks as they vie for a postseason berth.