In trouble in the second inning at Petco Park, Diamondbacks right-hander Taylor Widener fired a fastball to San Diego Padres slugger Wil Myers. Then he threw another. And another. And another.
Widener did in his first career start on Sunday what the three previous pitchers in the Diamondbacks rotation had been unable to do. He overpowered Padres hitters, worked deep into the game and gave his team the proverbial chance to win.
Their 3-1 victory on Sunday allowed the Diamondbacks to avoid a four-game sweep and gave them something positive on which to build as they headed for Colorado to open a three-game set at Coors Field on Tuesday.