Padres collapse in ninth, lose walk-off heartbreaker to Diamondbacks

PHOENIX (KYMA, KECY) - A four-run cushion in the ninth inning turned into another painful entry in the Padres' 2025 rollercoaster.

With a 7-3 lead and their closer on the mound, San Diego looked poised to even the series Saturday night at Chase Field. Instead, Robert Suarez gave up five runs and the Padres were stunned by a walk-off single in an 8-7 loss to the Diamondbacks.

Suarez entered the game without a save opportunity the Padres had just added insurance runs thanks to a Gavin Sheets RBI single and a sac fly from Xander Bogaerts but still was asked to shut the door. He didn’t record a second out.

Three straight singles opened the inning, then Corbin Carroll struck out for the first out. But a ground ball from Ketel Marte was ruled an RBI infield single after review, trimming the lead to 7-4 and keeping the bases loaded.

Moments later, Geraldo Perdomo ripped a triple down the right field line. It got past Fernando Tatis Jr., cleared the bases, and tied the game. Suddenly it was 7-7, and the Padres' four-run lead had evaporated.

Manager Mike Shildt pulled Suarez and brought in Adrian Morejon to face Josh Naylor. Naylor hit a slow roller to first, and though Luis Arraez made the throw home, Perdomo slid in safely for the walk-off winner.

The collapse overshadowed what looked like a breakthrough inning earlier. Trailing 3-1 in the seventh, San Diego loaded the bases and chased Diamondbacks ace Zac Gallen. Tatis Jr. delivered a two-run single, and Machado followed with a two-run double, putting the Padres up 5-3.

The bullpen held briefly, with Jeremiah Estrada escaping a jam in the bottom of the seventh. But the ninth unraveled quickly and dramatically.

Now, San Diego looks to avoid the sweep in Sunday's finale. First pitch is at 1:10 p.m.