PHILADELPHIA (AP) - The surprising Philadelphia Phillies took a circuitous route to their latest victory.
Carlos Santana homered and drove in four, Cesar Hernandez had a two-run double and the Phillies overcame a four-run first-inning deficit to beat the San Diego Padres 11-5 on Friday night.
Odubel Herrera added two RBIs for the Phillies, who remained a half-game ahead of Atlanta for first in the NL East with their 13th win in 19 games. Philadelphia was 30 games under .500 and finished last in the NL East in 2017, 31 games back of the Washington Nationals.
Not this year.
“We believe here,” Santana said. “Everybody is on the same page.”
Austin Davis (1-0) got his first major league win with 1 2/3 scoreless innings in relief of Jake Arrieta. Davis was one of five Phillies relievers who combined to allow just three hits over 5 2/3 scoreless innings.
San Diego got off to a promising start against Arrieta. The former NL Cy Young Award winner stumbled in the first inning when the Padres scored four runs on three hits and was helped by two errors - one on Arrieta - and a wild pitch.
Philadelphia got a run back in the bottom of the first before exploding for six runs in the second to go in front for good. Santana had the big blow with a three-run shot to left field. The Phillies also got an RBI walk from Rhys Hoskins and a two-run single from Herrera.
The comeback was the mark of a good team.
“Unconventional, not the way most games unfold, but that’s what the best teams seem to do, climb out of a deficit, especially early in the ballgame and turn the tide in their favor,” Arrieta said. “It’s great to see. Being out of the game early like I was, watching the guys scratch and claw back was pretty awesome to see.”
Freddy Galvis had three hits, including a double, and drove in two runs in his return to Philadelphia for the Padres. Galvis played his first six seasons with the Phillies before being traded in the offseason.
Clayton Richard (7-9) allowed seven runs and four hits in three innings for the last-place Padres, who have lost six straight and 22 of 28.
Davis got out of a jam in a pivotal spot in the fourth inning. He replaced Arrieta with one out and runners on first and second. The lefty walked Hunter Renfroe to load the bases before getting Carlos Asuaje to ground in a fielder’s choice with first baseman Santana throwing home for a force and striking out Will Myers for the final out.
“Huge strikeout,” Arrieta said.
“One more hit changes the trajectory of the game,” San Diego manager Andy Green said.
ARRIETA OFF
Arrieta had been 2-0 with a 1.89 ERA in his last three starts, but he labored through a 35-pitch opening frame and ended up allowing six runs - five earned - in 3 1/3 innings with two strikeouts and three walks.
“Didn’t really have much tonight,” he said.
The right-hander was glad to have his teammates bail him out, and he plans to return the favor.
“They picked me up and that’s something I intend to do when it’s my opportunity to do that for my guys when we have that need,” he said.
PUT ME IN COACH
A.J. Ellis replaced Manuel Margot in center field in the eighth inning after Margot injured his left wrist diving for Hernandez’s double, marking the first time in 612 career games that Ellis played a position other than catcher.
FREDDY FORTUNATE
Two of Galvis’ three hits were just out of the reach of center fielder Herrera, a bit of luck Green said has been missing this season for Galvis.
“He hit the ball hard all day,” Green said. “He’s had a lot of tough luck this year. Today was one of the first days where it felt like every ball probably could’ve been caught but it was just falling in front of the outfielder or over his head. His year has not gone like that. The way his year’s gone, he hits it on the screws and the guy makes a diving catch. Hoping that’s the start of some good things.”
TRAINER’S ROOM
Padres: Green said Margot bent his wrist back while trying to make the catch. The manager didn’t have an update and said Margot would be further evaluated later Friday and Saturday.
Phillies: OF Roman Quinn had a hit for Class A Clearwater on Friday in his first game since surgery on his right middle finger on May 21. Once a top Phillies prospect, Quinn has been besieged by injuries in his career.
UP NEXT
RHP Luis Perdomo (1-4, 7.55) pitches for the Padres in the second game of the three-game set on Saturday night against Phillies RHP Vince Velasquez (5-8, 4.39).
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