Padres' Renfroe intentionally walked in major league debut

By foxsports
Published

SAN DIEGO (AP) -- Hunter Renfroe was OK with being intentionally walked in his major league debut.

At least he got on base.

"The walk intentionally, I guess that's probably the best thing you can possibly do, honestly, to get your feet wet," Renfroe said after his San Diego Padres lost 3-2 to the Arizona Diamondbacks, who got two home runs from Paul Goldschmidt and six strong innings from Zack Greinke.

"It felt good. Glad to get in the game until we start tomorrow."

Renfroe was one of four prospects called up from Triple-A El Paso by the rebuilding Padres. Two made their major league debuts as pinch-hitters in the seventh. Carlos Asuaje was punched out by Randall Delgado and Renfroe was intentionally walked by Edwin Escobar. A third prospect, Manuel Margot, made his big league debut as a pinch-runner in the eighth.

Catcher Austin Hedges, who made his big league debut last year for the Padres, also was called up. Renfroe, Asuaje, Margot and Hedges are scheduled to start Thursday night against the San Francisco Giants.

If there were any nerves, they disappeared when Renfroe saw he was going to be put on base. "I was like, `OK, I'm good now,' `' he said.

"I think it's great to get that out of the way and hopefully tomorrow will be a lot better and hopefully I'll get to swing the bat."

Manager Andy Green said he used the rookies for strategic reasons rather than to get them acclimated.

"It had to do with winning a baseball game. They all have skills that were right to be used in those moments and tomorrow is more about just getting them on the field and getting them a start," Green said. "They were all out there for a reason."

The Diamondbacks pulled into a tie with the Padres for fourth place in the NL West at 64-88.

Goldschmidt's 22nd and 23rd homers provided all of Arizona's runs and came off rookie Luis Perdomo (8-10). Goldschmidt hit a solo shot into the seats in left field with two outs in the first for a 1-0 lead, and a go-ahead, two-run homer into the Padres' bullpen in left-center with two outs in the sixth.

Greinke (13-7) held San Diego to two runs and six hits while striking out seven and walking four. He improved to 8-1 lifetime against the Padres.

His only big mistake was allowing Wil Myers' two-run homer to left-center with two outs in the third for a 2-1 lead, his 27th. Jon Jay was aboard on a walk.

Daniel Hudson earned a four-out save, his fourth.

Perdomo allowed three runs and five hits in seven innings, struck out two and walked none.

UP NEXT:

Diamondbacks: Arizona is off Thursday and opens a three-game series at Baltimore on Friday, with RHP Shelby Miller (2-12, 6.90) scheduled to oppose Yovani Gallardo (5-8, 5.77).

Padres: LHP Christian Friedrich (5-10, 4.78) is scheduled to start for the Padres in the opener of a four-game series against the San Francisco Giants, who are trying to stay alive in the wild card race. The Giants are scheduled to counter with Jeff Samardzija (11-10, 3.97)