The San Diego Padres watched a four-run lead in the bottom of the ninth against the Arizona Diamondbacks slip away with their best bullpen arm on the mound. Robert Suarez came into the game needing just three outs to help the Padres secure a win. Instead, the Diamondbacks scored five runs in the bottom of the ninth and walked off with an 8-7 win at Chase Field, Saturday.

Suarez was warming in the bullpen in the top of the ninth inning with San Diego up, 5-3. He was expecting to come into the game with an opportunity to earn a save. However, the Padres tacked on two runs thanks to an RBI-single by Gavin Sheets and a sacrifice fly by Xander Bogaerts that allowed them to take a comfortable 7-3 lead and remove the save opportunity.

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The San Diego closer allowed three consecutive singles to load the bases before he got Corbin Carroll to strikeout swinging for the first out of the inning. Ketel Marte singled on a close play at first that was originally called an out with a run scored to make the score, 7-4. A replay review overturned the call and Marte was ruled safe and the bases remained loaded.

Geraldo Perdomo followed Marte with a triple off Surez that got past Fernando Tatis Jr. in right field and cleared the bases to tie the game, 7-7.

Perdomo was standing on third with one out and Manager Mike Shildt pulled Suarez in favor of Adrian Morejon. He faced Josh Naylor and on the first pitch of the at-bat, Naylor hit a slow ground ball to Luis Arraez at first base. Arraez threw home, but Perdomo was able to get in ahead of the tag and Arizona walked off with the one-run win.

San Diego trailed 3-1 heading into the top of the seventh. The Padres were able to load the bases against Diamondbacks starter Zac Gallen. He was replaced on the mound by Ryan Thompson, who faced Tatis Jr. with one out. Tatis Jr. singled to left field to score two runs and even the score, 3-3. After an Arraez fly out, Manny Machado doubled to drive in two more runs and San Diego took a 5-3 lead.

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Arizona responded in the bottom half of the seventh drawing back-to-back two-out walks off Jeremiah Estrada. However, Estrada got Marte to ground out to Jake Cronenworth at second base to end the threat and the inning.

Neither team was able to add to their scores in their half of the eighth inning, which set up the action-packed and disappointing ninth inning for the Padres.

San Diego will try to salvage the final game of the series, Sunday at 1:10 p.m.

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