PHOENIX \u2014 Before the pitchers they brought in to save the season get to work, the Padres got a lift from someone who has been around all along.<\/p>\n
Randy V\u00e1squez, who had recently been banished to the bullpen months after a strong start to the season, worked six scoreless innings Tuesday in a 9-4 victory over the Diamondbacks.<\/p>\n
\u201cComing into the game, I think we kind of had a feeling Randy was feeling good about himself,\u201d Manny Machado said. \u201cHe wanted to prove something.\u201d<\/p>\n
The victory got the Padres back to within one game of Arizona in the National League wild-card chase, and it probably got V\u00e1squez closer to a return to the starting rotation.<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah, I think so,\u201d manager Craig Stammen acknowledged. \u201d He wants to prove that he deserves to be in the rotation. I think Randy wants to start. \u2026 Randy has been very determined to put his best foot forward in this situation, and he has.\u201d<\/p>\n
The 24-year-old right-hander allowed two hits and walked a batter en route to turning in the first quality start by a Padres pitcher since July 22 and the first by a pitcher other than Michael King since Walker Buehler allowed one run in six innings on June 3.<\/p>\n
It was V\u00e1squez\u2019s fourth time going at least six innings without allowing a run this season. His last time to do so was May 15. In his eight starts after that, he had a 7.75 ERA. And when he returned on July 19 from an IL stint that had been precipitated by a line drive off his ankle, he was pitching out of the bullpen. It was quite a fall from having ranked 12th in the NL with a 2.68 ERA nine starts into his season.<\/p>\n
V\u00e1squez had allowed three runs over 11 innings over his four appearances leading up to Tuesday. He made one start in that span as a sort of glorified opener, allowing a run in 2\u2154 innings on July 25 at Miami. In his most recent appearance, he worked 4\u2154 scoreless innings at the end of a loss to the Giants on Thursday.<\/p>\n
His recent performances has people in the organization talking about him as the favorite to rejoin the rotation among the starters exiled to the bullpen last month when the Padres drastically shifted their pitching strategy.<\/p>\n
V\u00e1squez\u2019s job on Tuesday was made easier by the offense jumping on Diamondbacks starter Eduardo Rodriguez for six runs in the first two innings.<\/p>\n
V\u00e1squez was able to throw strikes and essentially play goalie when he was given a 3-0 lead before he took the mound and 6-0 lead before he did so a second time.<\/p>\n
\u201cI felt very good,\u201d said V\u00e1squez, who threw a first-pitch strike to 16 of the 20 batters he faced and went to three balls against just one batter. \u201cThat run support early in the game was a big part of the win today. I was able to trust my pitches more and primarily stick to attacking hitters.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Padres increased their lead to eight with a run in the sixth and another in the seventh.<\/p>\n
That is when Stammen turned the game over to pitcher Germ\u00e1n M\u00e1rquez, who allowed a pair of two-run homers in the seventh before Bradgley Rodriguez and Griffin Canning both worked a scoreless inning to finish the game.<\/p>\n
The team\u2019s attempt to piece together nine innings at a time on days King or Buehler weren\u2019t starting was a means to getting to Monday\u2019s trade deadline.<\/p>\n