1 of 5 | Arizona Diamondbacks designated hitter Lourdes Gurriel Jr. homered twice in a loss to the San Diego Padres on Tuesday in Phoenix. File Photo by Laurence Kesterson/UPI | License Photo
Arizona Diamondbacks designated hitter Lourdes Gurriel Jr. made MLB history, obliterating the fastest pitch in the pitch tracking era ever hit for a home run in a loss to the San Diego Padres.
Gurriel teed off on the 103.9-mph fastball in the bottom of the eighth inning of the 10-5 loss Tuesday in Phoenix. The veteran slugger also recorded a two-run homer in the bottom of the first.
“We talked about readiness, and Lourdes put a really good swing on a very aggressive pitcher with a very aggressive fastball,” Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo told reporters. “Doesn’t surprise me. Gurriel is a really, really good hitter.
“When he gets moving in a good direction, like he was [Tuesday], he’s basically unstoppable.”
Shortstop Geraldo Perdomo took a walk with two outs to become the Diamondbacks’ first baserunner of the inning. Gurriel then stepped in against Padres relief pitcher Mason Miller.
The right-handed pitcher started the exchange with a ball. Gurriel then fell behind in the count. Miller pulled back and released for a 104.1 mph offering for his sixth pitch of the exchange. He then tossed his 103.9-mph fastball near the middle of the strike zone.
Gurriel lifted his left foot and smashed his lumber into the pitch, sending the ball screaming 107.1 mph toward left center to tie the score at 5-5.
Neither team scored for the next two innings. The Padres proceeded to cross the plate five times in the 11th inning to earn the road victory and snap the Diamondbacks’ three-game winning streak.
Gurriel went 2 for 5 with four RBIs, two runs scored and a strikeout. He was the only Diamondbacks player to record multiple hits in the loss. The veteran designated hitter is now hitting .249 with 14 home runs and 56 RBIs this season.
Diamondbacks starter Ryne Nelson allowed six hits and two runs over 5 2/3 innings, but was not on record for a decision.
Padres shortstop Xander Bogaerts went 2 for 5 with a home run, an RBI and two runs scored. Designated hitter Manny Machado went 3 for 5 with two runs scored and a walk.
Left fielder Ramon Laureano went 3 for 6 with a double, triple and three RBIs. Second baseman Jake Cronenworth went 2 for 4 with two RBIs, two walks and two runs scored for the Padres.
Padres starter Yu Darvish allowed three hits and three runs over four innings.
The Padres (63-51) have won five of their last seven games. They sit in second place in the National League West, three games behind the division-leading Los Angeles Dodgers (66-48).
The Diamondbacks (54-60) sit in fourth place, 12 games behind the Dodgers and nine games behind the Padres. They will host the Padres in the series finale at 9:40 p.m. EDT Wednesday in Phoenix.
