PHOENIX – Closer Robert Suarez collapses as the D-backs explode in the ninth to walk off the Padres 8-7 on Saturday night. 

There was no better situation for the Padres (38-31) with a 7-3 lead and Suarez on the mound in the ninth. San Diego rallied after being down 3-1 for six unanswered runs and had Arizona (36-34) right where they wanted them.

Suarez allowed three straight singles to load the bases with no outs. Second baseman Ketel Marte cut the lead to 7-4 with an infield single, followed by a bases-clearing triple from shortstop Geraldo Perdomo to tie it at seven a piece. 

After seeing two straight fastballs, Perdomo turned on a hanging changeup down the line and knocked Suarez out of the game. Reliever Adrian Morejon was finally brought in to stop the bleeding and hopefully push the game to extras. First baseman Josh Naylor had other plans, bringing Perdomo in on a fielder’s choice to complete the comeback.

It was back-and-forth all night, with San Diego striking first in the second inning with a no-doubt home run (12) from Gavin Sheets to take a 1-0 lead. Sheets (.261 BA, .795 OPS) was a tough out, going 3-3 at the plate with a walk and two runs scored. 

Starter Ryan Bergert (1-0, 2.33 ERA) was attacking the D-backs lineup, elevating his fastball to set up his off-speed. Whether it was righty-righty or righty-lefty he lived on the edges and worked off his aggressiveness.

Arizona finally got to Bergert in the fourth, falling behind to third baseman Eugenio Suarez and paying the price. Suarez crushed an outside slider to left field for a three-run blast to give the D-backs a 3-1 lead.

Despite the rough inning, Bergert finished the night allowing three earned runs, three hits and eight strikeouts in five innings pitched.

Right fielder Fernando Tatis Jr. came through with the bases loaded in the seventh, tying the game 3-3 with a two-RBI base hit. Third baseman Manny Machado came through late again, jumping on a first-pitch sinker for a two-RBI double to take a 5-3 lead.

Tatis Jr. (.266 BA, 807 OPS) and Machado (.318 BA, .885 OPS) led the way offensively, going 3-9 and combining for four RBIs. 

The Friars added two more in the ninth behind a couple of defensive mishaps from the Arizona defense and a sac-fly to push the lead to 7-3. The four-run lead wasn’t enough, as the Padres dropped game two of the three-game series in heartbreaking fashion. 

San Diego looks to bounce back for the final game against the Diamondbacks on Sunday at 1:10 p.m.