SAN DIEGO — For Bronson Arroyo, the San Diego Padres were the right team at the right time.
The struggling Arizona right-hander entered Friday night’s game at Petco Park with a 7.77 ERA after his first five outings of 2014. But he found the perfect remedy for his slow start — the punchless San Diego Padres.
Arroyo, who has had recent success against the Padres and has always pitched well at Petco Park, blanked San Diego on three hits through seven innings to lead the Diamondbacks to a 2-0 victory in the opener of a 10-game homestand for the Padres.
Right-handers Brad Ziegler and Addison Reed each had a strikeout in a perfect inning to preserve the Diamondbacks’ first shutout of the season. Reed picked up his seventh save.
It was the first time since last July 31 at Tampa Bay that the Diamondbacks allowed three or fewer hits in a shutout.
The Padres were shut out for the fifth time this season — and for the third in the last six games. They rank last in the National League in hitting (.213) and last in the major leagues in runs scored (2.6 runs per game).
Arroyo’s best outing of the season continued his dominance of the Padres. He is 4-0 against the Padres in his last five starts against San Diego with a 1.54 ERA). And he is 4-2 lifetime in six starts at Petco Park with a 1.82 ERA.
Friday night’s performance evened his season record to 2-2 and lowered his ERA almost 1 3/4 runs to 6.03.
“I had a little more zip tonight,” said Arroyo, whose progress this year was slowed by back issues during spring training. “I’m feeling better.
“I makes a difference for me when I get the ball up to 88 or 89 (mph).”
Padres manager Bud Black said of Arroyo, “This guy has been a very good major league pitcher for a long time. Tonight, he got back to form. He’s probably to the point where he’s physically together.”
Second baseman Aaron Hill supplied all the support Arroyo needed with a two-run, two-out, bases-loaded single in the third inning off Padres ace Andrew Cashner, who allowed two runs, four hits and three walks in six innings.
“I don’t think I did a very good job on a lot of stuff tonight,” said Cashner, who fell to 2-4 despite a 2.72 ERA. “I did have some walks. I was missing close enough to the zone with my fastball.”
Arizona took advantage of some uncustomary wildness by Cashner to mount its third-inning rally.
Diamondbacks leadoff hitter Gerardo Parra drew a one-out walk from Cashner. The right fielder advanced to third on first baseman Paul Goldschmidt’s, two-out, ground single through the right side.
Cashner, who had issued 12 walks in the first 42 2/3 innings this season, then walked catcher Miguel Montero on a full-count pitch to load the bases. Hill dropped a single in front of Padres left fielder Seth Smith to score Parra and Goldschmidt.
“A couple walks and a slider to Hill that wasn’t where he wanted to throw it hurt Cash,” Black said. “He got it up over the plate, not down. It was pretty straightforward.”
Cashner (2-4, 2.72 ERA) suffered his third straight loss.
The Padres had only five baserunners against Arroyo. San Diego managed to advance two runners to third, both reaching with two out. Arroyo got out of both jams by ending the inning with a groundout.
The Padres have scored 12 runs on 31 hits in their last six games.
“There is not a cure-all,” Black said of the Padres’ offensive woes. “You have to look at the players’ lifetime averages and envision they can do it again. I”m seeing a number of guys pressing. There’s tension … struggling.”
Padres outfielder Will Venable said, “We’re past trying hard. This is not good, it’s frustrating.”
Arroyo entered the game with an opponents’ batting average of .346. And he got off to a slow start when he bobbled shortstop Everth Cabrera’s leadoff grounder to the right side for an error.
But Cabrera was eliminated on a double play as Arroyo faced the minimum number of Padres through 4 1/3 innings before first baseman Yonder Alonso ended his own 0-for-27 drought with a line single to right to end the no-hitter bid.
NOTES: Padres RHP Right-handed pitcher Casey Kelly and LF Carlos Quentin will both start their rehab assignments with Class A Lake Elsinore on Saturday night. Kelly had Tommy John surgery on April 1, 2013, and is scheduled to throw four innings or 60 pitches. Quentin, who has been on the disabled list since the end of spring training with a bone bruise in his left knee, is scheduled to make at least three or four starts for the Storm. … The Diamondbacks promoted OF Alfredo Marte from Triple-A Reno and optioned OF Tony Campana to the same team. … The Padres officially announced the signing of 27-year-old Cuban RHP Odrisamer Despaigne. … Padres 3B Chase Headley (calf strain) might be ready to start playing on a rehab assignment early next week. … 1B Paul Goldschmidt set a Diamondbacks franchise record with 40 hits in March-April. The old club record was 37 by 2B Orlando Hudson in 2007. … Arizona CF Ender Inciarte made his major league debut on Friday and singled in his fourth at-bat.