​SAN DIEGO (AP) — Jake Cronenworth delivered a three-run homer off Zac Gallen, capping a four-run first inning and helping the San Diego Padres beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 4-1 on Tuesday night. It marked just the Padres’ second win in 11 games. The victory pulled San Diego back into a tie for second place in the NL West with Arizona, a division that the Dodgers have led for years as the two-time defending World Series champions sat 14 games ahead of the Diamondbacks at the start of the night. Arizona had won the series opener 8-0 on Monday, collecting eight singles while blasting two home runs, a sharp contrast to Tuesday’s outcome. San Diego, who had dropped eight straight games, snapped that skid with a 5-2 win at Dodger Stadium on Sunday night. Cronenworth’s blast was his third of the season and came just after he returned from a seven-day concussion injured list on June 29.
Gallen (3-9) appeared poised to escape the frame with the game still within reach, holding the Padres to one run. He was one strike away from ending the inning when Cronenworth lofted a 95 mph four-seamer into the seats in right field. The blast brought in Gavin Sheets, who had walked ahead of Cronenworth, and Jackson Merrill, who singled in Fernando Tatis Jr. after his leadoff double. Gallen managed to strike out Xander Bogaerts and Manny Machado and had Cronenworth down 1-2 before the homer changed the complexion of the inning. Cronenworth’s success came after a long layoff; he had missed nearly two full months while on the concussion list.
For the Diamondbacks, Germán Márquez (4-2) limited Arizona to one run on three hits through five innings, recording four strikeouts and three walks. All-Star Mason Miller worked a perfect ninth inning for his 23rd save, tying for the National League lead.
Gallen ended up allowing four runs on six hits in six innings, with five strikeouts and three walks. San Diego’s Jhony Brito made his first major league appearance since Aug. 10, 2024, and ended the sixth by getting Nolan Arenado to hit into a double play on the first pitch. Brito, who had been recalled from Triple-A El Paso as he progressed toward a comeback from right elbow surgery in April 2025, induced the crucial grounder to end the inning.
Looking ahead, Wednesday night’s matchup features Diamondbacks right-hander José Cabrera (0-1, 4.73 ERA) against Padres right-hander Michael King (5-7, 3.52). The two are slated to start the next game in the series.
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