SAN DIEGO -- When Torey Lovullo walked across the bridge connecting the team hotel with Petco Park on Friday afternoon, he was still, to use his words, sour and bitter about what had transpired 24 hours earlier, when the D-backs’ manager watched his team blow a four-run ninth-inning lead and lose to the Giants in 10 innings.\n\nIt would get worse for him before it got better, as he watched the Padres knock out starter Caleb Smith with a five-run second inning.\n\n• Box score\n\n\"We got smashed in the face,\" Lovullo said.\n\nLike a boxer, though, the D-backs were able to stagger to a neutral corner and come out swinging. And boy did they come out swinging, scoring two in the third and six in the fourth as they went on to beat the Padres, 8-5.\n\n\"We regrouped,\" Lovullo said. \"We regrouped in a big way after a really tough start. We did get back to that neutral corner. We didn't stay down. We didn't shut down.\"
There have not been a lot of high points for the D-backs this year, but this is one they'll want to remember.\n\n\"The only one that might stick out is one of the games we won in Cincinnati earlier in the year,\" shortstop
Here's a look at a couple of other players who deserve some recognition:\n\n
Peacock took over for Smith in the second inning and immediately restored order, giving the team 4 2/3 scoreless innings.\n\nAnd Peacock didn't just contribute with his arm, but also with his bat and legs, as he delivered a two-run single and stole a base in the fourth.\n\n\"He's down two strikes, I'm on deck. I'm just watching the AB, and he hits a liner right back up the middle and steals second,” said Ahmed. “I almost wanted to laugh when he stole second, just how engaged and locked in he was. It's awesome. I love that guy. I love how he plays the game, love how he pitches and competes. And he gave us a big spark.\"
The D-backs claimed the right-hander off waivers from the Rays four days prior. And with a number of their backend bullpen guys unavailable after recent use, Poppen came on and pitched the final two innings to record his first big league save in his 17th overall appearance.\n\n\"Pretty great experience,\" Poppen said. \"Especially last year not having fans. This year, it's a packed house, loud. It was really a rush.\"