A.J. Pollock has been on fire at the plate. (Rick Scuteri-USA TODAY Sports)
PHOENIX — Arizona center fielder A.J. Pollock had two hits and scored a run and right-hander Rubby De La Rosa outpitched James Shields in the Diamondbacks’ 4-2 victory over the San Diego Padres on Friday ngiht at Chase Field.
De La Rosa (6-3) gave up five hits and two runs (one earned) in seven-plus innings to win for the fourth time in five decisions as Diamondbacks handed Shields (7-1) his first loss of the season in his 300th career start.
Shields gave up eight hits, including four doubles, and four runs in six innings in his first regular-season loss since Sept. 20, 2014. He walked four and struck out five.
Shortstop Nick Ahmed had two hits and an RBI and first baseman Paul Goldschmidt singled and walked as the Diamondbacks (33-34) won for the sixth time in eight games. Goldschmidt leads the majors with a .358 batting average.
Right-hander Brad Zielger pitched around a walk and left fielder Justin Upton’s two-out double in the ninth for his 10th save in his 500th career appearance.
Second baseman Cory Spangenberg singled and had a sacrifice fly for San Diego (33-37), which is 1-3 under interim manager Pat Murphy and has lost five of its last six.
Shields gave up five runs and four homers in a 6-5 victory at Chase Field on May 8.
Pollock doubled on Shields’ first pitch in the first inning, took third on a wild pitch and scored on Goldschmidt’s groundout for a 1-0 lead.
The Diamondbacks took a 4-0 lead in the third after Goldschmidt led off with a walk and David Peralta doubled. Goldschmidt was caught attempting to score on a passed ball when the ball hit the backstop and caromed back to catcher Derek Norris before second baseman Aaron Hill delivered a two-out RBI double.
Catcher Welington Castillo followed with a double and shortstop Nick Ahmed capped the rally with a single.
Shields singled with two outs in the fifth and scored when Upton drew a two-out, bases-loaded walk. De La Rosa struck out right fielder Matt Kemp to end the inning.
NOTES: San Diego purchased the contract of 1B/3B Brett Wallace from Triple-A El Paso on Friday and optioned RHP Cory Mazzoni to El Paso. Wallace, who played for new Padres interim manager Pat Murphy at Arizona State, was hitting .298 with eight homers and 37 RBIs in 60 games at El Paso. LHP Eury De La Rosa was designated for assignment to make room on the 40-man roster. … San Diego RHP James Shields made his 300th career start Friday, his 301st career appearance. … Arizona RHP Archie Bradley (shoulder tendinitis) threw 54 pitches in a simulated game Thursday, and manager CHip Hale said he will wait to see how Bradley recovers being determining the next step. … Murphy, who spent 15 seasons as the baseball coach at Arizona State, said he has received 1,400 text messages since taking the job. Among them: former ASU players Jason Kipnis, Ike Davis, Mike Leake and Kole Calhoun. … Former ASU infielder and current Oakland 2B Eric Sogard beat the Padres with a ninth-inning single in Muprhy’s first game Tuesday. His text to Murphy: “I’m sorry.”
