Diamondbacks Top Padres, Tighten Wild Card Race

The Arizona Diamondbacks defeated the San Diego Padres 5-1 in the opening game of their three-game series at Chase Field, extending their winning streak to four games and surpassing the .500 mark for the first time since late May. Corbin Carroll and Josh Naylor homered for Arizona, with Carroll hitting his 20th of the season. Starting pitcher Ryne Nelson earned the win with five solid innings, while the Diamondbacks continued their strong offensive showing in June. The Padres, struggling with injuries to key pitchers and inconsistent offense, failed to contain Arizona's hitters despite a generally strong bullpen and earlier standout performances from Manny Machado. Fernando Tatis Jr.'s offensive slump persisted, further hampering San Diego's efforts. The result tightens the NL Wild Card race, making the remaining games in the series critical for both teams' playoff aspirations.