The Arizona Diamondbacks had this game exactly where they wanted it early on in Mexico City.

They jumped out to a 4-0 lead, their ace was dealing, and everything pointed toward a strong win against a division rival.

Then everything flipped.

Arizona fell 6-4 to the Padres, and this one is going to sting—not just because of the loss, but because of how it happened.

Fast Start, Early Control
The Diamondbacks wasted no time getting on the board.

In the second inning, Jose Fernandez delivered again, ripping a two-run double to get Arizona going. He continues to look more comfortable at the plate every game.

Right behind him, Alek Thomas launched a two-run homer, giving Arizona a 4-0 lead and full control of the momentum.
At that point, this looked like a game the Diamondbacks were going to manage the rest of the way.

Gallen Injury Changes Everything
The biggest moment of the game didn’t come from a hit—it came from a comebacker.

Zac Gallen was struck in the pitching shoulder by a hard-hit ball in the third inning. He stayed in long enough to finish the inning, but that was it for his day.

​Before exiting, Gallen was sharp:

The early diagnosis is a right shoulder contusion, and the initial outlook is positive. The team described it as more of a “charley horse” situation, and pulling him was a precaution after the shoulder tightened up.

That’s the good news.

The bad news? The game felt different the moment he left.

Padres Chip Away
San Diego didn’t panic. They slowly worked their way back.

Ty France got things started with a home run in the fifth, cutting the lead to 4-1 and giving the Padres some life.

Then came the seventh inning—and that’s where this game got away.

The Turning Point: Seventh Inning Collapse
Arizona couldn’t stop the momentum.

​The Padres loaded the bases, and the Diamondbacks couldn’t make the key play to get out of it cleanly.

Just like that, a 4-0 lead turned into a 5-4 deficit.

That inning told the whole story: missed opportunities, shaky execution, and momentum completely shifting to San Diego.

Padres Close It Out
Ty France delivered again in the ninth with his second home run of the game, adding an insurance run and putting the game out of reach.

From there, Mason Miller shut the door, picking up his 10th save.

Another Injury to Watch
It wasn’t just Gallen.

Geraldo Perdomo left the game with a left ankle sprain and is currently considered day-to-day.

Something to monitor moving forward, especially with how important he is defensively.

Final Takeaway
This one hurts.

Not because the Diamondbacks got outplayed from start to finish—but because they had control and let it slip away.

They got the early offense.
They got a strong start from Gallen.
They had momentum.

​But once Gallen exited, the cracks showed.

The positive? Gallen’s injury doesn’t appear serious.

​The reality? Against teams like San Diego, you don’t get many chances to give games away—and Arizona gave this one away in the seventh.

​​​Don’t miss The S3 Podcast with Jeff Demers (JD) and Marnie Tisdale (Lady M), streaming every Friday at 4PM PST (schedule may vary based on live press coverage) on our YouTube channel. Catch the replay anytime on your favorite podcast platform!