Padres beat Diamondbacks 5-1 to close within a game in NL wild-card race

PHOENIX (AP) — Jackson Merrill and Ty France both had two hits and an RBI, four relievers combined for five scoreless innings and the San Diego Padres beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 5-1 on Thursday night to improve their position in the National League playoff race.

The Padres — who have a 12-8 record since the All-Star break — moved a game behind the D-backs for the third and final wild-card spot. The NL West rivals split the four-game series.

San Diego finished with 12 hits, including three singles from Luis Rengifo — two on bunts. Relievers Bradgley Rodriguez (3-2), Jeremiah Estrada, Adrian Morejon and Mason Miller gave up just two hits over the final five innings, striking out seven.

The Padres built an early 3-0 lead, but the D-backs tried to mount a two-out rally in the bottom of the third with four hits in a row. Gabriel Moreno brought home one run with an RBI single before Walker Buehler wiggled out of a bases-loaded jam when Nolan Arenado flew out to center.

Buehler lasted just four innings, giving up one run on six hits and a walk. The righty struck out three.

Arizona rookie Kohl Drake (0-1) also had a short outing, giving up three runs over 3 2/3 innings. Moreno finished with three hits, including a double.

The D-backs have a 16-8 record since July 9, but have dropped three of their last five. They open a three-game series against the NL West-leading Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday.

Diamondbacks RHP Merrill Kelly (8-9, 5.04 ERA) was set to start Friday night at home against Dodgers RHP Roki Sasaki (5-5, 4.64).

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San Diego Padres' Fernando Tatis Jr., left, scores against the Arizona Diamondbacks on a ball hit by Ty France in the third inning of a baseball game, Thursday, Aug 6, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

Arizona Diamondbacks' Gabriel Moreno hits a double against the San Diego Padres in the first inning of a baseball game, Thursday, Aug 6, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Kohl Drake throws against the San Diego Padres in the first inning of a baseball game, Thursday, Aug 6, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

San Diego Padres' Freddy Fermin hits an RBI single against the Arizona Diamondbacks in the sixth inning of a baseball game, Thursday, Aug 6, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

San Diego Padres' Fernando Tatis Jr. gets ready to hit against the Arizona Diamondbacks in the first inning of a baseball game, Thursday, Aug 6, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

BOSTON (AP) — Caleb Durbin lined a single to center field off Chicago’s Erick Fedde in the 13th inning to score NIck Sogard and the Boston Red Sox rallied to beat the Chicago White Sox 12-11 on Thursday night in a game that lasted more than four hours.

Connor Wong had a two-run home run, Anthony Siegler added three RBIs and scored a run. Wilyer Abreu had two RBIs, including one to tie the game in the ninth. Andruw Monasterio also added two RBI doubles.

Brayan Bello (4-6), the last of nine Red Sox pitchers, worked two innings for the victory. Fedde (6-7) was the last of eight Chicago pitchers.

Boston won its eighth straight and 10th in 11 games. The Red Sox have won 10 consecutive series. It is their second sweep of Chicago.

Chicago led 7-6 in the ninth and Boston tied the game in four straight innings.

Miguel Vargas scored on a Colson Montgomery sacrifice fly off reliever Garrett Whitlock to put Chicago in front 10-9 in the 11th inning. Boston tied it when Wilyer Abreu's sac fly scored Nick Sogard.

Meidroth got Chicago on the board with his 10th homer, a blast over the Green Monster off Ranger Suarez in the third, making it 2-0.

Chicago added two runs later in the inning. It was a 42-pitch inning for Suarez, who was pulled after the frame after allowing three runs off three hits and throwing 70 pitches overall.

Chicago starter Luis Castillo was chased after four innings, allowing five runs off six hits and Wong’s homer.

White Sox catcher Joey Bart left the game in the seventh inning with a fifth metacarpal fracture in his left hand and will be evaluated.

The Red Sox were without first baseman Willson Contreras, who missed his second game due to illness.

White Sox LHP Noah Schultz is to make his 14th career start Friday at Cleveland.

Red Sox LHP Boston’s Payton Tolle (6-6, 3.30) is set to start Friday against the Athletics.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Boston Red Sox's Caleb Durbin, left, celebrates with teammates after his game-winning RBI single during the 13th inning of a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox, Thursday, Aug. 6, 2026, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Boston Red Sox's Caleb Durbin, front, is doused by Jarren Duran after his winning RBI single during the 13th inning of a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox, Thursday, Aug. 6, 2026, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Boston Red Sox's Masataka Yoshida watches the flight of his single during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox, Thursday, Aug. 6, 2026, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Boston Red Sox's Connor Wong is congratulated after his two-run home run during the third inning of a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox, Thursday, Aug. 6, 2026, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Chicago White Sox's Chase Meidroth watches his two-run home run during the third inning of a baseball game against the Boston Red Sox, Thursday, Aug. 6, 2026, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Chicago White Sox's Colson Montgomery, right, beats the tag by Boston Red Sox's Connor Wong to score on a single Braden Montgomery during the fifth inning of a baseball game, Thursday, Aug. 6, 2026, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Boston Red Sox's Caleb Durbin, left, beats the throw to Chicago White Sox's Munetaka Murakami (5) on a single during the fourth inning of a baseball game, Thursday, Aug. 6, 2026, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)