D-backs' Skaggs reaches 5th in loss to Padres

PHOENIX (AP)

Arizona Diamondbacks manager Kirk Gibson rarely visits the mound if he's not about to remove a pitcher from the game.

For 21-year-old left-hander Tyler Skaggs, Gibson made an exception.

''He learned some things today,'' Gibson said of Skaggs, who allowed four runs in five innings and the Diamondbacks lost to the San Diego Padres on Thursday afternoon.

Skaggs put runners on first and second with one out in the fifth and the bullpen phone could be heard throughout the park as Gibson made the walk to the mound. Except he never motioned to the bullpen.

''When I went out I told him, `You are going to stay in the game. Let's take a breather and get your composure. It is time to make some pitches,''' Gibson said. ''He got out of the inning. I feel that at this point in his career that's what he needed to do and he did it.''

Skaggs, who reached the fifth inning for only the second time in his past three outings, walked three and struck out two.

''It might not look like it but I am (learning something every time),'' Skaggs said. ''Mostly it's getting ahead of batters. You've got to get ahead. Once I get ahead I'm fine. When I start falling behind 2-0 it is tough getting big league hitters out.''

Eaton hit his first career home run, Hill also homered and Justin Upton was a home run short of the cycle for the Diamondbacks, who had their three-game willing streak snapped.

Arizona fell 5 1/2 games behind St. Louis in the NL wild-card race with 13 games to play.

''I am not that patient of a person. I want results now. It's tough because I want to win and we are in a pennant race here, trying to get the wild-card spot and it's costing us games. I've got to be better.''

The Arizona offense nearly got Skaggs off the hook in the ninth.

Luke Gregerson took the mound to start the inning for San Diego, looking for his ninth save.

Chris Johnson singled to left for his third hit to lead off the inning and pinch-hitter Ryan Wheeler hit what looked to be a double-play grounder to second.

However, Logan Forsythe dropped the ball as he ran toward the base and then extended his left leg toward the bag as he lay prone on his stomach reaching for the ball. Johnson appeared on replay to push Forsythe's foot into the base on his slide but second-base umpire Doug Eddings called Johnson safe.

Then the parade from the bullpen began.

Joe Thatcher came on and walked pinch-hitter Jason Kubel to load the bases. Nick Vincent was next and retired Mike Jacobs on a soft foul popup to third before giving way to Tommy Layne.

With the infield drawn in, Adam Eaton hit a grounder to second and Forsythe threw home to force Johnson. Black went back to the bullpen for the fifth time in as many plate appearances and brought on Bass, the Padres' eighth pitcher of the game, who needed only four pitches to retire Hill.

''All things considered we battled back,'' Gibson said. ''You get the bases loaded and nobody out in the ninth, you expect to at least tie the game up. We had three opportunities and were unable to do it, so that part was disappointing.''

Jesus Guzman homered and Clayton Richard went six efficient but turbulent innings as the Padres snapped a two-game losing streak.

Richard (14-12) allowed four runs and eight hits in six innings to raise his career record against Arizona to 6-0 - including three wins in three starts at Chase Field over the past 10 weeks. He struck out three and walked one.

Skaggs walked Chase Headley with two outs in the first, Yasmani Grandal singled and Guzman homered into the first row of the left-field stands to give the Padres a 3-0 lead.

''He gets an 0-2 count on Guzman then he tries to waste a fastball and throws it right where he doesn't want it,'' said Arizona manager Kirk Gibson. ''That is a live and learn deal. He struggled.''

Hill homered with one out in the bottom of the first to make it 3-1 but the Padres came right back in the second when Forsythe doubled home Richard, who had reached on a fielder's choice.

Johnson pulled Arizona to 4-2 with an RBI single in the fourth to score Upton, who had led off the inning with a double.

Chris Denorfia and Headley hit run-scoring doubles off Brad Bergesen in the sixth to extend San Diego's load to 6-2.

Upton tripled leading off the sixth and scored on a Paul Goldschmidt single to right. Goldschmidt went to second on a wild pitch and scored on a single to left by Johnson to make it 6-4.

Eaton, who on Wednesday hit his first career triple and recorded his first RBI, hit a two-out homer in the seventh off Brad Brach to cut the lead to 6-5.

''It's kind of a mental check mark to get out of the way,'' Eaton said. ''From when my experience when you get up here you look forward to those things and to get them out of the way so you can feel more comfortable.''

NOTES: Both teams hazed the rookies after the game. Arizona rookies were wearing women's clothing for their flight while Padres rookies were in ''Olympic'' attire - boxing trunks, cycling shorts and tops and swim trunks, to name a few. . Upton has seven extra-base hits in his past five games after hitting just five in his previous 25. ... Diamondbacks C Miguel Montero extended his franchise record with his 18th consecutive start. ... RHP Casey Kelly (2-1) will take the mound Friday for the Padres against San Francisco RHP Ryan Vogelsong (12-9). The Diamondbacks open a four-game wraparound series in Colorado with LHP Wade Miley (15-10) pitching against Rockies LHP Drew Pomeranz (1-9).