Pivetta wins ninth game in career year for Padres in win over Phillies

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Manny Machado hit a three-run double and Nick Pivetta allowed one run and struck out six in seven innings to lead the San Diego Padres past the Philadelphia Phillies 6-4 in the first game of a doubleheader on Wednesday.

Pivetta (9-2) is off to the best start in his nine-year career, the first 3 1/2 spent with the Phillies. The 32-year-old entered nine games under .500 in his career and has never won more than 10 games. He went 6-12 in Boston last season but found success in San Diego and has kept the Padres in the thick of the NL wild-card race.

Perhaps the lone dose of bad news came Tuesday, when the game was rained out which forced the day-night doubleheader. Pivetta, whose 195 career starts are seventh-most by a Canadian, had his scheduled start on Canada Day postponed.

Kyle Schwarber took Pivetta deep in the sixth for his 26th homer, which made it 6-1.

Machado had already done the bulk of the damage in a five-run second inning against Phillies rookie starter Mick Abel (2-2). Abel had loaded the bases when he issued consecutive walks to Fernando Tatis Jr. and Jackson Merrill to make it 2-0. Machado followed with his 21st double of the season.

Abel, who struck out nine over six innings in his May big-league debut, walked five (four scored) and allowed five runs in 1 2/3 innings.

Luis Arraez walked with the bases loaded in the fourth to make it 6-1.

Key moment

The Phillies scored twice in the seventh and added another run in the ninth to make it 6-4. Trea Turner ripped a two-out single to center but Brandon Marsh was ruled out on a head-first slide into third base. The call was overturned putting runners on first and third. Robert Suarez struck out Schwarber swinging to end the game and earn his 24th save in 27 chances.

Key stat

San Diego scored three runs on bases-loaded walks.

Up next

The Padres were sending RHP Dylan Cease (3-7, 4.53 ERA) to the mound in the second game against LHP Cristopher Sánchez (6-2, 2.79 ERA).

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