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Ender Inciarte hits two homers in Arizona Diamondbacks' win

By Bill Center, The Sports Xchange
Arizona Diamondbacks A.J. Pollock (11) greets Diamondbacks Ender Inciarte. Photo by Archie Carpenter/UPI
Arizona Diamondbacks A.J. Pollock (11) greets Diamondbacks Ender Inciarte. Photo by Archie Carpenter/UPI | License Photo

SAN DIEGO -- Arizona right fielder Ender Inciarte was looking forward to facing San Diego Padres right-hander James Shields Sunday in the season finale between the Diamondbacks and Padres at Petco Park.

"Everyone knows he's a very energetic guy," Inciarte said of Shields. "It's fun to face guys like that, who are very competitive."

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And the 24-year-old, left-handed-hitting Venezuelan responded with a game that he later called "most definitely the No. 1 game" of his career.

Inciarte hit two home runs, including a tie-breaking two-run shot in the seventh, to lead the Diamondbacks to a 4-2 victory. Left fielder David Peralta hit a third homer off Shields.

"I made some bad pitches; that is kind of the way my season has gone," said Shields, who fell into the major-league lead for most homers allowed -- with Colorado's Kyle Kendrick -- at 33. "The last time I faced the Diamondbacks in Arizona, they were taking a lot of first pitches. Today they were aggressive early in the count."

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"Ender came in before the game today and said he was really excited to play against Shields," said Diamondbacks manager Chip Hale. "He took it as a real challenge."

Sunday marked the first time Inciarte hit two homers in a game. He has a total of 10 in two major-league seasons. He was 4-for-4 against Shields Sunday with three RBIs. He finished 4-for-5.

"This was my best game in the big leagues," said Inciarte, who hit a 386-foot solo shot to right in the fifth and reached the first row of stands in right with a 364-foot drive in the seventh.

Peralta broke up a scoreless tie by leading off the fourth with a 414-foot drive over the fence in center. It was the left fielder's 17th homer of the season.

The Padres had tied the game with two runs in the fifth before Inciarte connected for the second time off Shields. Inciarte connected with his sixth homer of the season after pinch-hitter Socrates Brito singled to open the seventh.

Sunday marked the third time this season that Shields allowed three or more homers in a game. He gave up four homers to the Diamondbacks, including one to Peralta, on May 8.

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Right-hander Jhoulys Chacin (2-0) got the win in his first relief appearance of the season. Right-hander Brad Ziegler successfully converted his 27th straight save to give him 29 on the season.

The Padres scored twice in the fifth against Chacin to tie the score after the Diamondbacks had taken their 2-0 lead.

Shields got the Padres' rally started by doubling with one-out on a drive that landed on the warning track in left-center.

Center fielder Travis Jankowski, who was hitting in the lead-off spot for only the second time since being promoted from Triple-A El Paso on Aug. 19, drove home Shields with a triple to right-center, third base coach Glenn Hoffman throwing up the stop sign at the last second to prevent Jankowski from trying for an inside-the-park homer.

Third baseman Cory Spangenberg followed with a single to score Jankowski.

"Spangy and Travis both played the game the right way offensively and defensively," said Padres interim manager Pat Murphy.

Arizona rookie right-hander Zack Godley was replaced after three scoreless innings due to an innings limit. He held the Padres to two hits and two walks, one being intentional.

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The Padres threatened several times in the second. Following one-out singles by first baseman Brett Wallace and second baseman Jedd Gyorko, catcher Derek Norris hit a drive to left-center that required a running catch from Peralta to prevent a two-run double. Godley intentionally walked shortstop Alexi Amarista, then struck out Shields to end the threat.

The Padres threatened in the seventh when pinch-hitters Wil Myers and Melvin Upton Jr. drew back-to-back walks from left-handed reliever Andrew Chafin to open the inning and were bunted into scoring position. But Chafin struck out Spangenberg, and right fielder Matt Kemp grounded out to third to end the inning.

NOTES: The Padres won the season series 10-9, although the Diamondbacks won this series to retain third place in the National League West. . . Diamondbacks 1B Paul Goldschmidt didn't start Sunday as a planned day off, although he entered the game on defense in the eighth . . . Arizona SS Nick Ahmed missed a fifth straight start with a lower back strain . . . 3B Yangervis Solarte missed a fourth straight start for the Padres due to tightness in his right hamstring . . . With the Padres having Monday off, interim manager Pat Murphy gave both Solarte and 1B/CF Wil Myers (wrist) Sunday off with the idea both will play the last six games of the season. Myers walked as a pinch-hitter in the seventh.

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