Four takeaways from Padres series win vs. Pirates
Credit: Padres
Despite dropping the middle game of a three-game set with the Pirates, the Padres won the rubber match on Sunday. Four takeaways from the series.
1. Eric Hosmer and Manny Machado finish off a fantastic April
Where would the Padres be at this point in the season without Eric Hosmer and Manny Machado? And remember, Hosmer was close to being traded away before Opening Day. Sometimes the best trades made are the ones that never happen.
Without Fernando Tatis Jr.in the lineup, Hosmer and Machado have carried the load thus far. In April, Hosmer hit a healthy .389 with three home runs and 14 RBI. Although he had a backbreaking misplay in the field on Saturday, his three-run shot marked his third home run in a five-game span.
Eric Hosmer currently has a .400 BA this season 🔥
(via @Padres)pic.twitter.com/dCDwHpfd9c
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) April 30, 2022
Likewise, Manny Machado bested Hosmer’s production, hitting .386 with four home runs and 15 RBI in April. In the eighth inning on Saturday, his two-run homer broke a 3-3 tie, and he started off May on the right foot, going 1-for-5 with an RBI.
2. Trent Grisham showing signs of life
Entering the weekend series against Pittsburgh, Trent Grisham had gotten to about as slow of a start as you could imagine. The Padres’ center fielder was batting a lowly .141.
He collected two hits in the series with the Reds and carried that success against the Pirates. Although he went hitless on Friday, Grisham went 2-for-5 with the go-ahead RBI single in the top half of the 10th inning on Saturday.
Unfortunately, the Padres bullpen couldn’t preserve the lead.
CALL TRENT GRISHAM FOR ALL YOUR INSURANCE NEEDS#TimeToShine | @Padres pic.twitter.com/E8l3Gh1fx6
— Bally Sports San Diego (@BallySportsSD) May 1, 2022
On Sunday, Grisham went 3-for-5, with a two-run single in the seventh inning to make it a 3-0 Padres lead. He also added singles in the third and ninth innings, elevating his batting average to .182 on the year.
“It just feels good you get to contribute,” said Grisham. “That’s the way I look at it is gratitude, honestly, just to be able to help the team in any way you can, especially when you’ve been struggling. It just felt really good to help the boys and help everybody get a win.”
3. Steven Wilson proves he’s human
One of the best surprises out of the bullpen in the first month of the season, Steven Wilson, had a difficult outing on Saturday. The 27-year-old went 1.1 innings but allowed the game-tying two-run home run to Michael Chavis in the eighth inning.
It was his second consecutive outing that he allowed a long ball after going his previous eight appearances without one.
[wpedon id=”49075″ align=”right”]
4. Joe Musgrove dazzles against his former team
Looking to make it a 5-1 road trip against the NL Central, the Padres turned to the former Pittsburgh Pirate, Joe Musgrove. The 29-year-old has arguably been the most consistent starter in the Padres’ rotation and gave the team another strong start on Sunday.
Musgrove tossed 7.0 innings of one-run ball, fanning eight batters, including striking out the side in the second inning. He threw 61-of-92 pitches on the day for strikes and set down five in a row twice.
“Anytime you leave somewhere, and you go back, you have that sense of wanting to show them what they missed out on,” said Musgrove.
“Basically, really, if you look at his numbers, it’s been the same game for him all year,” added manager Bob Melvin.
The big right-hander is 4-0 with a 1.97 ERA in five starts this year. In two previous starts against his former team, Musgrove has allowed just two earned runs over 11 innings while striking out 14 batters.
The Padres are off Monday before starting a quick, two-game series in Cleveland on Tuesday.
Padres writer/editor for East Village Times. LA Kings writer/editor for Hockey Royalty. IBWAA member.
I completely agree with you, Tony….Profar ran into a few, and now he thinks he’s a power hitter…he’s a cleanup man batting under the Mendoza line….embarrassing…! I love his defense, but we need to see a few line drives in the gaps, and less upper cut swings resulting in yet another pop-up….
It was good to see Grisham and Cronenworth coming out of their struggles. Profar is now struggling. I fear he’s trying to be a power hitter when he really isn’t. He’ll run into some but we need him to hit .250 as a minimum.