Padres blow 5-run lead, still beat D-backs

Rookie right-hander Pedro Avila worked into the sixth in his first career start, Manuel Margot hit a tie-breaking home run in the eighth and the San Diego Padres beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 7-6 Thursday night in Phoenix. Avila, a 22-year-old Venezuelan who had made one career start above the Single-A level, allowed one run and four hits in 5 1/3 innings. He struck out five and walked two.

Margot jumped on a 96-mph fastball from Archie Bradley (0-1) with one out in the eighth inning for his first home run of the season, a deep shot to center field to break a 6-6 tie. Craig Stammen (1-0) got the final out of the seventh for the win. Trey Wingenter walked two in the ninth before striking out Nick Ahmed to earn his first career save. Closer Kirby Yates, who had pitched five times in the previous eight days, had the night off.

Avila was in line to get the victory after the Padres scored five in the sixth, highlighted by Austin Hedges' three-run homer for a 6-1 lead. Arizona answered with five runs in the seventh, which began with a fielding error by shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. David Peralta drove in two with a bases-loaded single and, two batters later, Eduardo Escobar golfed a three-run homer that bounced off the top of the wall in left field to tie the game at 6.

Avila struggled early, giving up a run and facing a one-out, bases-loaded situation after five batters. He escaped that threat with a foul out and strike out, and later retired 12 in a row after giving up a one-out single to pitcher Zack Godley in the second inning. Godley went six-plus innings, allowing six hits and six runs, striking out eight and walking three.

Avila had been called up from the Double-A Amarillo Sod Poodles in order to give rookie starter Chris Paddack an extra day of rest. He was pulled with one out in the sixth after hitting Adam Jones and walking Escobar. Arizona scored in the first on three singles, with Jones lashing a one-out hit to right to bring in Jerrod Dyson from third.

Franmil Reyes tied the game with a solo homer in the fourth, his second of the season. --Field Level Media