Melancon didn't allow a baserunner in a scoreless ninth inning to earn the save Thursday against the Diamondbacks.
Melancon protected a one-run lead effectively, as he needed only seven pitches to induce a flyout and two groundouts to end the game. The closer role was in flux for the Padres entering the season, with Drew Pomeranz and Emilio Pagan also in the mix. However, Pagan pitched in the seventh inning and was followed by Pomeranz one frame later, offering the impression that Melancon may have the opportunity to claim save opportunities going forward.