Major League Baseball

Ross throws 4-hitter, Padres rout Diamondbacks

Published Jun. 21, 2015 2:51 a.m. ET

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Tyson Ross made a couple of adjustments, one in his pitching mechanics, another in his attitude on the mound.

The result was a four-hitter, his third career complete game and an 8-1 victory for the San Diego Padres over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Saturday night.

Clint Barmes went 3-for-4 with two doubles, driving in two runs and scoring twice.

Derek Norris and Melvin Upton Jr. homered for the Padres. Upton's was his first of the season, a two-run shot off Addison Reed in the Padres' four-run ninth inning.

Ross (4-7), who matched his season high with nine strikeouts and walked one, had two complete games for San Diego last year. He also drove in a run with his first career triple, then scored on Upton's homer in the ninth.

''Today I was just trying to attack hitters and put an emphasis on getting the leadoff guy out and make them put the ball in play,'' Ross said. ''You know I've had some troubles with command and walking guys and I just really wanted to challenge people tonight.''

He had lost three of his previous four starts and walked five in his last outing.

''We made a mechanical adjustments in between starts and it carried well over into the game,'' Ross said, ''and allowed me to execute a lot more pitches and really just get ahead of guys and put them away.''

Interim manager Pat Murphy said its well established what the 6-foot-6 right-hander can do.

''We've seen it in the past,'' Murphy said. ''He's capable of that. Nobody in the league wants to face him. I mean, you don't want to face him. He's filthy.''

Arizona's Jake Lamb said Ross' slider ''is one of the better ones in the game. He was on tonight and nobody was seeing it too well.''

Robbie Ray (2-2) allowed four runs on six hits in 5 2-3 innings for Arizona. He struck out a career-high seven and walked two.

For the ninth time since they were 8-8 on April 24, the Diamondbacks failed in a bid to reach .500.

Matt Kemp had a single and double and scored twice for the Padres. Kemp led off the second with a double to deep center, advanced to third on a groundout and scored San Diego's first run when Barmes singled.

Norris' shot into the left field seats on Ray's 3-2 pitch with two outs in the third made it 2-0.

Kemp singled with one out in the sixth, then scored on Barmes' two-out double down the left field line. The Diamondbacks had a good chance to get Kemp at the plate but shortstop Cliff Pennington's relay throw sailed over the head of catcher Welington Castillo. Barmes took third on the errant throw and Alexi Amarista walked, ending Ray's night.

''I think it was just a lack of concentration,'' Ray said of his sixth inning problems. ''I gave up that hit and I was mad at myself and couldn't get over it.''

David Hernandez, in his fifth appearance since returning from Tommy John surgery, relieved Ray and his wild pitch allowed Barmes to score and the Padres led 4-0.

The Diamondbacks' run came when Chris Owings tripled in the seventh and scored on Castillo's double.

COACHING SHUFFLE

The Padres hired ex-major leaguer Xavier Nady as hitting coach, part of the chain reaction of personnel moves after Pat Murphy was named San Diego's interim manager. Rod Barajas moved from Elsinore hitting coach to manager at Double-A San Antonio. Jamie Quirk moved from San Antonio to Murphy's old job as manager at Triple-A El Paso. Nady played his first professional game for Elsinore.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Padres: LHP Cory Luebke, coming back from Tommy John surgery, made his third rehab appearance Friday night, allowing a run and a hit in one inning for Class A Elsinore. It was the first hit run he had given up in the three outings.

Diamondbacks: LHP Patrick Corbin, coming off Tommy John surgery, went 5 1-3 innings for Class Double-A Mobile at Pensacola on Saturday night, his third rehab start. He allowed two runs on three hits with three walks and three strikeouts. ... 3B-OF Yasmany Tomas was out of the lineup after being hit in the elbow with a pitch Friday night. The MRI showed it was only a bruise and Tomas pinch hit late in the game.

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