Arizona's six-game climb bought a finale. Saturday's loss made that finale a two-scoreboard night.
The Diamondbacks fell 10-7 at San Diego, CBS Sports reported, and woke up Sunday at 86-75 - one game behind Philadelphia (87-74) for the National League's last wild-card berth. The Phillies have lost four straight, CBS Sports' Game 162 board noted, but they still control their own ticket: a win over Tampa Bay or an Arizona loss clinches October for Philadelphia.
Arizona's path is narrower and fixed. Beat the Padres. Hope the Rays beat the Phillies. That is the entire list.
The tiebreaker Arizona already owns
The clubs split their season series 3-3. The next step is intradivision record, and Arizona holds it - 32-18 against the NL West compared with Philadelphia's 28-24 against the NL East, CBS Sports and FanSided both laid out. Finish tied at 87-75 and the Diamondbacks take the berth. Finish a game short and the math never gets used.
Manager Torey Lovullo told reporters his club would attack Sunday the same way it attacks every other day: with intent focused on winning the game in front of them. Geraldo Perdomo, after Saturday's loss ended the streak, said the group would control what it could control. Neither comment changes the second scoreboard. Both describe the only half Arizona can actually touch.
Soroka against a Padres club that already locked home field
Michael Soroka (9-5, 3.31 ERA) is lined up opposite San Diego right-hander Randy Vasquez (10-6, 4.01), the Field Level Media preview on CBS Sports reported. Soroka's last start - seven innings, two hits, one earned run and nine strikeouts in a 7-2 win at Colorado - was among his cleanest of the year.
He is 2-0 with a 0.90 ERA in four career appearances against the Padres; Manny Machado is 0-for-8 with three strikeouts against him, while Fernando Tatis Jr. is 3-for-7.
San Diego (90-71) secured home-field advantage in the wild-card round Saturday and will host the Cubs beginning Tuesday. Manager Craig Stammen said some regulars would sit Sunday with that clinched, while insisting every player he writes into the lineup is capable of ending Arizona's season.
