Josh Hader Delivers 1-2-3 Save as Padres Remain Tied with Phillies

San Diego Padres relief pitcher Josh Hader gave his new club his best outing since joining the Padres last month, sitting the Arizona Diamondbacks in order and picking up his second save as a member of the Padres. The Padres beat the Diamondbacks in Arizona 6-3 Wednesday night.

The Josh Hader rollercoaster reached a new high in Arizona Wednesday night.

Two nights after giving up another run in relief, Hader delivered his best performance as a member of the San Diego Padres yet, in the Padres' 6-3 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Hader sat down the middle of the Diamondbacks' order; three up and three down, picking up his second save with the Padres and his 31st of the season.

Hader has struggled immensely since being traded for by the Padres, prior to the August 2 Major League Baseball trade deadline.

The Padres acquired Hader from the Milwaukee Brewers in exchange for pitchers Taylor Rogers and Dinelson Lamet and prospects Robert Gasser and Esteury Ruiz. Gasser and Ruiz are currently ranked the no. 11 and no. 8 prospects in the Brewers' farm system on MLB.com.

With the win Wednesday night, the Padres secure a series win, taking two of three from a feisty Diamondbacks team that had won eight of its last ten entering play Monday.

Better yet, the Padres move into a tie for the National League's second wild card spot, and now have a four-game-lead over the next-closest team: the Milwaukee Brewers, who gave the Padres their prized closer. The Brewers fell to the Rockies 8-4 at Coors Field Wednesday night.

The Padres improve to 76-62 on the season and are now 18-16 since the trade deadline, when they acquired Hader, Juan Soto, Josh Bell and Brandon Drury.

They will have Thursday off in anticipation of a big weekend series against the Los Angeles Dodgers in San Diego, beginning Friday night.