The San Diego Padres and Arizona Diamondbacks — two teams coming off memorable Sundays — meet Tuesday in Phoenix after well-deserved days off.
The Padres capped a run of 17 straight games by rallying from a 7-1 deficit to defeat the Dodgers 8-7 in 11 innings at Dodger Stadium Sunday night, the visitors’ third win in the emotionally charged four-game series.
And Diamondbacks aces Zac Gallen and Madison Bumgarner held the host Atlanta Braves to one hit over 14 innings in a 5-0, 7-0 doubleheader sweep — with Bumgarner throwing a seven-inning, no-hitter in the second game.
Each of those successes represents Major League Baseball milestones.
The Padres were the first team this year to win after trailing by six or more runs entering the seventh. Teams in that predicament are now 1-49 this season and 101-13,547 over the past 50 seasons. It helped that Fernando Tatis Jr. was 8-for-18 with five home runs, two walks, three stolen bases, six RBIs and nine runs scored.
The Diamondbacks were the first team to have two shutouts in a doubleheader since Boston’s Reggie Cleveland and Don Aase did it at Toronto on Sept. 5, 1977. The seven-inning no-hitter also triggered a debate about whether Bumgarner should be credited for a no-hitter.
As the Padres and Diamondbacks enjoyed Monday off, Tatis and Bumgarner were named the National League’s Co-Players of the Week.
On Tuesday, the matchup will be between right-handers Chris Paddack (1-2, 3.50 ERA) of the Padres and Merrill Kelly (1-2, 7.71 ERA) of the Diamondbacks. This two-game series marks the first time the teams have met since the Padres won three games in their season-opening, four-game series in San Diego.
“We played two very complete games Sunday,” Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said. “Pitching and some clutch hits.”
Padres manager Jayce Tingler, meanwhile, was looking ahead to Monday’s day off.
“Everyone needs a day away,” said Tingler, whose club has played a Major League-high 24 games and hadn’t had a day off since April 8. “We faced top-of-rotation starters for 10 straight games against the Dodgers and Brewers.”
Both of Tuesday’s starters have struggled this year, but they have strong backgrounds against the other team and similar careers. Each has faced Tuesday’s opponent more than any other team, including once earlier this season in losing outings.
Arizona scored three runs (two earned) on four hits and three walks against Paddack on April 4. Two days earlier, the Padres scored three runs on five hits and three walks in four innings against Kelly, who had thoracic outlet surgery since the end of last season.
Paddack, 25, is 2-2 with a 1.95 ERA in six career starts against the Diamondbacks with 33 strikeouts in 32 1/3 innings.
Kelly, 32, is 5-2 against the Padres with a 3.12 ERA in eight starts with 41 strikeouts in 43 1/3 innings.
