SAN DIEGO -- With the bases loaded, two outs, and the Padres down by a run in the eighth inning Thursday night, San Diego rookie Alex Dickerson admitted he was looking to drive the ball off Arizona Diamondbacks reliever Enrique Burgos.

"I'd faced him before," Dickerson said. "He's got really good stuff. I was going after anything around the plate. I didn't want to get cheated. It wasn't a finesse at-bat."

Dickerson didn't get cheated.

After swinging hard through the first pitch offered by Burgos, Dickerson drove the next fastball into the gap in left-center for a three-run double that enabled the Padres to defeat the Diamondbacks 9-8 at Petco Park in the opener of a four-game series between the worst two teams in the National League West.

Thursday's win enabled the Padres to snap a five-game losing streak -- as well as a four-game Arizona winning streak -- and regain sole possession of fourth place in the division.

The Padres (51-70) were trailing with two-out and no one on in the eighth when they started their game-winning rally against Jake Barrett (1-1).

Travis Jankowski started the rally with a two-out single, his fourth hit of the night. Wil Myers followed with a single, and Yangervis Solarte drew a four-pitch walk from Barrett to load the bases.

"Walks are killers in general, and that was a perfect example," said Barrett, who was replaced by Burgos with the bases loaded.

"Alex just keeps squaring up baseballs," Padres manager Andy Green said of Dickerson. "It doesn't really make a difference who is pitching or from what side. It's a nice stroke."

Dickerson's double marked the fifth lead change in the game and erased a 7-6 lead the Diamondbacks took in the top of the eighth off winning pitcher Ryan Buchter (3-0).

Michael Bourn singled home Rickie Weeks Jr. with one out after Weeks opened the inning by drawing a walk off the Buchter. Weeks stole second without a throw and scored on Bourn's single to center.

The Diamondbacks challenged again in the top of the ninth, scoring an unearned run against Brandon Maurer and getting the tying run to second with one out before the closer got the last two Diamondbacks he faced to record his sixth save.

The game was a seesaw affair with Arizona taking a quick 2-0 lead in the first before the Padres built a 5-2 lead. The Diamondbacks got one in the fifth, then tied it on Jean Segura's two-run homer off reliever Jose Dominguez in the sixth after both ineffective starting pitchers had departed.

Arizona's Archie Bradley allowed five runs (four earned) on seven hits and three walks in 4 2/3 innings. San Diego's Paul Clemens gave up three runs on eight hits and three walks in five innings.

The game's first five innings took two hours and 10 minutes to complete.

Segura opened the game with a double off the center field wall, advanced to third on a deep drive to center by Bourn and scored on a wild pitch by Clemens on ball four to Paul Goldschmidt. Singles by Jake Lamb and Welington Castillo brought Goldschmidt around.

The Padres got one back in the bottom of the first when Jankowski singled, moved to second on a groundout, reached third on a wild pitch and scored on Solarte's groundout to second.

San Diego then scored four in the third to take a three-run lead.

Jankowski opened the inning with a single, stole second via a successful appeal and scored on Myers' single to center to tie the game. Solarte singled Myers to third.

Dickerson then hit what appeared to be a potential double-play grounder to Segura, but the ball bounded away from the second baseman for an error that allowed Myers to score and Solarte to reach third.

After Ryan Schimpf drew a walk to load the bases, Christian Bethancourt drilled a two-run single to center.

Chris Owings opened the Diamondbacks' sixth with a triple. Segura homered 416 feet into the Padres' bullpen in left-center to tie the score.

San Diego regained the lead at 6-5 in the bottom of the sixth.

With two outs, the Padres, who are down to four bench players, sent up pitcher Edwin Jackson to pinch-hit against Edwin Escobar. Jackson drew a walk, moved to third on an opposite-field double inside the third base bag by Jankowski and scored on a passed ball by Castillo on the fourth time the Diamondbacks catcher appeared to be crossed up by his pitcher.

"That is just inexcusable at this level," Arizona manager Chip Hale said. "It's not that hard to get the signs."

The Diamondbacks again drew even in the top of the seventh against Padres reliever Brad Hand.

Yasmany Tomas singled with one out, moved to second on a short grounder to third base and scored on Mitch Haniger's double into the left field corner.

NOTES: Padres RHP Colin Rea got an injection in his right elbow Thursday after meeting with orthopedic surgeon James Andrews. The injection was recommended as an alternative to Tommy John surgery. The Padres hope he can resume a throwing program in a month. ... Padres RHP Tyson Ross (shoulder, ankle) will have a second session against live hitters Saturday at Petco Park. Ross, who hasn't pitched since Opening Day, might be ready to start a rehab assignment next week. ... Diamondbacks OF A.J. Pollock, out all season following elbow surgery in the spring, tweaked his back driving from Southern California to the start of a rehab assignment with Class A Visalia and missed a day. He is expected to play in Visalia on Friday night before joining Triple-A Reno. ... Arizona announced it was slowing down the rehab assignment of C Chris Herrmann (hamstring). ... LHP Andrew Chafin was backed off his rehab assignment with Visalia because of groin and shoulder soreness.