LDN - Sports

Norris homer helps Padres beat Diamondbacks

[July 05, 2016] PHOENIX -- San Diego Padres manager Andy Green said it takes a lot for Derek Norris to leave a game hurt.

On Monday night, it took the backswing of a bat near the catcher's right humerus a half-inning after he hit a two-run homer in the Padres' 8-4 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks.

"It hit him on that nerve, the funny bone," Green said of Norris, who also doubled and drove in three runs. "He couldn't get any feeling back in his hand. I think he's going to be fine."

Green said Norris was having his right elbow X-rayed as a precaution.

Yangervis Solarte also homered, Matt Kemp doubled home a run and Ryan Schimpf added a pair of doubles for the Padres, who have won three of four.

Luis Perdomo (3-3) allowed three earned runs -- the fourth straight start in which he's given up three or more -- over six-plus innings but earned his first win since June 15.

"I was especially good being aggressive, attacking hitters and staying down in the zone," Perdomo said through an interpreter.

Green said he would prefer to see Perdomo, a Rule 5 pick from the St. Louis organization, throw his sinker more often and said the few times he has been hit hard was because he threw a different pitch.

"If we can get him to throw a sinker 90 percent of the time he's not going to get hit," Green said. "But he still believes he has to pitch like everyone else does."

Perdomo, who had faced the Diamondbacks four times this season out of the bullpen, gave up nine hits, struck out five and did not walk a batter for the first time in his six starts.

"I definitely have a lot more confidence," Perdomo said. "I just go out there and throw and have confidence in all my pitches. I can get outs with any of them."

Diamondbacks starter Archie Bradley (3-4) lost for the fourth time in his past five decisions, surrendering five runs on six hits over six innings with three walks and seven strikeouts.

"You take a look at most of my outings and, not to take credit away from the other team, but I have been putting myself in bas situations," Bradley said. "I can't keep continuing to do it."

San Diego rallied in the sixth against Bradley.

Wil Myers walked to lead off the inning and Kemp doubled to center to tie the game 3-3. Bradley recovered to retire the next two batters but, after throwing three straight balls to Norris, the San Diego catcher homered into the left-field stands to give the Padres a 5-3 lead.

"His fastball had real good life, good velocity," said Arizona manager Chip Hale. "His breaking ball he used really well. He just has to be consistent. He has to become a winning pitcher."

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Padres catcher Derek Norris (3) celebrates with right fielder Matt Kemp (27) and second baseman Ryan Schimpf (11) after hitting a two-run home run during the sixth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

The Padres tacked on three runs in the eighth against Daniel Hudson. Alex Dickerson walked, Norris and Schimpf hit consecutive RBI doubles and Alexei Ramirez singled to center to put the Padres ahead 8-3.

Arizona pulled back a run in the bottom of the eighth when Drury doubled, went to third on a passed ball and scored on a sacrifice fly by Nick Ahmed.

The Padres rallied from an early 2-0 deficit, tying the game in the fourth when Kemp singled and Solarte homered, his third home run in four games at Chase Field.

Arizona answered in the fifth. Michael Bourn reached on a bouncing, one-out single up the middle before the left-handed-hitting Jake Lamb, facing a defensive shift, lashed a liner over the outstretched glove of the third baseman Solarte playing in shallow right. The ball went into the corner for an RBI triple and a 3-2 Arizona lead.

The Diamondbacks struck against Perdomo in the first.

Jean Segura hit the right-hander's first pitch of the game into left field for a single, and he scored one out later when Goldschmidt doubled to the right-center-field wall. Goldschmidt came home to make it 2-0 when Solarte bounced a throw to first that got past an outstretched Myers.

NOTES: Before the game, the Diamondbacks activated SS Nick Ahmed from the paternity list and optioned OF Peter O'Brien to Triple-A Reno. O'Brien hit four home runs but had a .123/.167/.500 batting line and was held out of the starting lineup the past four days. ... 3B Jake Lamb began the game one double and one homer away from being the fifth player in Diamondbacks history to hit the 20/20 mark before the All-Star break. ... The Padres and Diamondbacks entered the game with two of the top four winning percentages on Independence Day in the National League. Arizona was .611 (11-7), second only to the Nationals/Expos at .642. San Diego was .543 (26-21) all time on July 4.

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