This late July weekday series saw a bit of disappointment for the hometown team, having lost the first two games against the upstart Diamondbacks of Arizona. But the stellar play throughout the series by Jesus Guzman was one of the few bright spots shown by the Padres. Anther was seeing closer Heat Bell get the opportunity to reach 30 saves for the third straight year for the team of his youth.

Bell closed out the final game of the series in his only appearance, allowing one hit before an inning-ending double-play for his 30^th save in 32 tries. The Padres will host the Rockies for the last series before the July 31st trade deadline that has Bell, Mike Adams, Ryan Ludwick and others rumored to be switching uniforms by weeks end.

Below is the recap of what could be the final series of the 2011 Padres as we know them today.

July 26^th, 2011, Diamondbacks 6, Padres 1

WP Joe Saunder (7-8) 9IP 6H 1R 1ER 1BB 4K 1HR

LP Dustin Moseley (3-10) 7IP 7H 5R 4ER 2BB 5K 1HR

Dustin Moseley had a rough night out on the diamond Tuesday night. Not only did he get roughed up for five earned runs, he dislocated his shoulder for the second time this season while swinging the bat. After lining the ball down the right field line Moseley fell to the ground clutching his left shoulder. He hopped back up and ran to first, apparently popping his shoulder back into socket. After meeting being examined by the trainer he remained in the game.

Joe Saunders, on the other hand, came within an out of a complete game shutout before surrendering a solo homerun to Padres first baseman Jesus Guzman. Guzman launched an 86 mph fastball from Saunders into the Padres bullpen for San Diego’s first run of the game.

Arizona scored two runs in the third inning beginning with a run-scoring triple by Kelly Johnson. Justin Upton then would sacrifice him in with a drive to center to give Arizona the lead.

Upton would then homer with none on and one out in the sixth. Chris Young then drew a walk stole second base prompting Bud Black to choose to walk Miguel Montero intentionally.

Brian Roberts then popped the ball up to shallow right field that was easily caught by Orlando Hudson. Hudson, thinking there was now three outs, tossed the ball to a ball girl who then gave it to a fan. Young and Montero each moved a base on the play and were awarded a base for the ball leaving play, scoring Montero.

In the seventh Johnson singled in William Bloomquist to put the Diamondbacks up 6-0. They added another run drawing a bases-loaded walk in the eighth for a six-run advantage.

July 27^th, 2011 Diamondbacks 4, Padres 3

WP Ian Kennedy (12-3) 6IP 4H 2R 2ER 1BB 9K 0HR

LP Cory Luebke (3-5) 61IP 6H 4R 4ER 2BB 6K 3HR

S J.J. Putz (22) 1IP 1H 0R 0ER 0BB 2K 0HR

Justin Upton clobbered two home runs, his third in two games and former Padre Xavier Nady added a two-run shot of his own to power the Diamondbacks over the Padres 4-3 Wednesday night.

Upton led off the fourth with a solo shot to deep center and was seen yelling at Padres starter Cory Luebke as he was circling the bases. Upton after the game said Luebke was “quick-pitching” him and was “trying to beat the system”, whatever that means.

In the bottom of the fifth, the Padres turned the momentum of the game on its head when Will Venable lined a two out triple off the wall in deep right-center, scoring both Orlando Hudson and Luebke from second and first bases.

That lead was short-lived when Justin Upton absolutely clobbered the ball into the top deck of the Wsten Metal Supply Buiding, 433 feet from the plate for his 20^th of the season. The next inning Xavier Nady hit a two-run homer that appeared to be caught in the field of play by a fan reaching out above a leaping Venable’s glove. Bud Black came out to argue the lack of an interference call but the play ultimately was not reviewed.

Luis Martinez got his first big-league hit, a solo home run to left field in bottom of the seventh to bring the Padres within one. But with one out in the bottom of the ninth, Martinez struck out while Orlando Hudson attempted to steal second. Hudson, who appeared to have stolen the base easily, was called out at escond to end the game, leaving him shaking his head and smiling.

July 28^th, 2011, Padres 4, Diamondbacks 3

WP Luke Gregerson (3-3) 0.2IP 0H 0R 0ER 0BB 0K 0HR

LP Daniel Hudson (10-7) 6IP 7H 4R 4ER 2BB 6K 1HR

S Heath Bell (30) 1IP 1H 0R 0ER 0BB 0K 0HR

If Anthony Rizzo is the Padres first baseman of the future, they will need to find a way to keep Jesus Guzman’s formidable bat in the lineup. Guzman went 2-2 with two RBI, a couple runs scored and a pair walks. Down two runs in the second, Guzman homered to left field to cut the lead in half. He also had an RBI single in the fourth, tying the game, 2-2.

Mat Latos looked dominant in the first inning, striking out two batters, including Justin Upton swinging on a nasty slider. But after Chris Young’s infield single off the glove of a diving Chase Headley, Brandon Allen walloped a two run shot to left-center to give Arizona a 2-0 lead. Latos settled down until the sixth inning when he was pulled after walking three batters, the last with the bases loaded, putting Arizona ahead 3-2. Luke Gregerson came in and induced a flyout to center and a popup to second, getting out of the bases-loaded jam without giving up another run.

In the bottom half of the sixth inning, the Padres started a two-out rally when Guzman walked and then stole second with Hudson at the plate. The O-Dog then racked a single to centerfield, tying the game. After Kyle Blanks was hit by a 93 mph fastball, Luis Martinez lifted a liner that dropped in front of Gerardo Parra in left field allowing Hudson to score and put the Padres ahead, 4-3.

Making his first appearance of the series, Heath Bell entered the game sprinting from the bullpen as he always does, tasked with preserving a one-run Friar advantage. Willie Bloomquist fouled off five pitches in an 11 pitch at-bat before grounding out to shortstop Jason Bartlett for the first out. Bell then gave up a single to left field, putting the tying run on base to face former Friar first-rounder Sean Burroughs. But Burroughs grounded into a 6-4-3 double play to give Heath his 30^th save, marking three straight seasons doing so for his hometown club, the San Diego Padres.