PHOENIX -- The Padres envision a truly wide-open rotation race next spring. There isn't a single pitcher on the staff who has secured a place in the 2019 starting five. But Joey Lucchesi -- on the strength of his late-season surge -- has clearly become the best bet to earn a spot.
The rookie left-hander was sharp again Tuesday night, though he was outdone by D-backs lefty Robbie Ray, who blanked San Diego for 6 1/3 innings in a 6-0 Arizona victory. The Padres, as they've done too often this season, frequently chased breaking pitches out of the zone, as Ray racked up 10 strikeouts.
The ineffective offense was the only reason Lucchesi didn't last longer than five innings. Manager Andy Green pinch-hit for Lucchesi after only 74 pitches, with his team trailing, 2-0, in the sixth. Arizona scored its first two runs in the second, when Nick Ahmed hit an RBI triple and scored one batter later on a Ketel Marte sacrifice fly. Lucchesi allowed little else.
"He's doing a really nice job," Green said. "We're not going to conjecture about what next year looks like right now. But we're pleased with his rookie season, and we'll continue to challenge him in areas we want him to grow in."
Lucchesi has allowed two or fewer runs in five of his last six starts, and his ERA sits at 3.59 -- the lowest for a Padres rookie with at least 100 innings in seven years. He struck out six and allowed three hits and a walk before his early departure.
"It's very important [to finish strong]," Lucchesi said. "This is the life I live for. I want to leave a good impression for everyone. I want to perform for all my teammates and coaches. I just want to be that dude."
That dude?
"I want to be the guy where it's: 'All right, this guy's pitching, we've got a really good chance to win today,'" Lucchesi said. "I want to be that dude."

Lucchesi had retired 10 of the last 11 D-backs hitters when Green called for newly promoted prospect Francisco Mejia to pinch-hit in the sixth. Mejia struck out, whiffing on three breaking pitches outside the strike zone.
But Mejia wasn't the only over-aggressive Padres hitter. Ray struck out seven of the first 10 batters he faced and didn't allow a hit until Franmil Reyes' two-out single in the fifth.
Reyes extended his hitting streak to 10 games, the longest of his career and the longest active streak in the National League after fellow Padres outfielder Hunter Renfroe had his streak snapped at 11 with an 0-for-4 showing.
Luis Urias also singled against Ray, and Austin Hedges smashed a long double in the eighth off Archie Bradley. But the San Diego offense didn't muster much else, and the D-backs padded their lead with a four-run seventh.
SHAKY IN THE SEVENTH
Despite their offensive woes, the Padres stayed close for most of the game. But they came unglued with two outs in the seventh.
Marte reached on an infield single, then went to second on an errant pickoff throw. He stole third (on which William Myers was late covering the bag), and he scored on a passed ball, making it 3-0.

It only got worse from there. Later in the frame, A.J. Pollock smashed a single to left, and Renfroe came up throwing. He delivered a one-hop strike to Hedges, who appeared to tag Daniel Descalso as he slid into home. But the ball skittered out of Hedges' glove, and he was charged with an error.
Descalso and Paul Goldschmidt also drove in runs in the frame, extending the D-backs lead to 6-0.
WITHOUT FURTHER REVIEW
Green was particularly displeased with crew chief Angel Hernandez after Pollock's RBI single in the seventh. The Padres considered reviewing the play, in case Descalso had swatted the ball out of Hedges' glove. But Hernandez denied them the opportunity, noting that their allotted 30 seconds had expired.
"We didn't think that was going to get overturned," Green said. "The way that works is when you signal within 10 seconds, at around 30 seconds they're supposed to walk to your dugout and say, 'Hey, we need a decision.' Angel considered it walking to my dugout by touching third base.
"I don't get that at all. It makes no sense on any level that he's offering me some sort of opportunity to hear his voice and make a decision. Music's being played, and he's yelling at me across the field. That's not the way it's supposed to work. I'm just looking for a little professionalism. That, to me, was not that."
Green stormed onto the field and argued for a brief moment, but he wasn't ejected.

YOU GOTTA SEE THIS
Robert Stock became the first Padres reliever to enter a game using Chase Field's bullpen cart, which was unveiled before this season. For the most part, Stock has been solid this year, but he allowed three runs (two earned) in 1 2/3 innings.

UP NEXT
In his return from a left forearm strain last week, Eric Lauer (5-7, 5.01 ERA) pitched five no-hit innings against the Rockies before he was removed after 81 pitches. He'll be given a longer leash on Thursday, when the Padres open a four-game series against the Reds at Great American Ball Park at 3:40 p.m. PT. Mejia is expected to make his first start behind the plate for the Padres after he was promoted from Triple-A. Luis Castillo (8-11, 4.83) will start for Cincinnati.