Padres Game Recap: ICYMI- Padres Win Bizarre Game With Comeback Over Mets
San Diego Padres 8, New York Mets 7
The San Diego Padres roared back from a 7-1 deficit in the last three innings to stage an incredible comeback in New York on Thursday despite two rain delays.
After the Mets already took a 1-0 lead of Andrew Cashner in the second, the big blow came when Curtis Granderson hit a three-run home run in the fifth to extend the lead to 4-0.
The Padres would get one back in the sixth with an RBI single by Matt Kemp, but the Mets offense couldn’t be contained.
Juan Uribe homered to open their half of the sixth off Cashner to make it a 5-1 game. Clint Barmes committed an error on a double-play ball that ended Cashner’s day (Short stop help, Preller please!). Shawn Kelley entered the game in relief but gave up two more runs as the lead ballooned to 7-1.
With the fan base thinking “Sell, sell, sell!”, it was the top of the seventh that started the ride for the Padres.
Bobby Parnell came in after having an unsuccessful outing out of the pen on Wednesday. Working with a 6-run lead, what could go wrong they thought.
Three straight pinch hitters led to two runners on and only one out. Yonder Alonso led off with a double followed by a Brett Wallace walk. Melvin Upton Jr. singled to load the bases and that was it for Parnell.
Hansel Robles entered for the Mets to pitch to Derek Norris. With already one Grand Slam under his belt this year, Norris crushed a 0-2, 96 mph fastball into the seats in left. The Padres were right back in this one, down 7-5.
The comeback appeared to be short lived as the Padres couldn’t get anything going in the eighth off of Tyler Clippard and were down to their last out against Met’s closer Jeurys Familia.
As Norris stepped upto the plate the sky’s opened up and it started coming down hard at Citi Field. The umpire halted the game and the grounds crew ran onto the field to the dismay of Familia, who stayed on the mound for a minute in disbelief.
After a 44-minute rain delay, Norris fell behind again 0-2 but singled for his fifth hit of the afternoon (a career high). Matt Kemp followed with a single through puddles and mud into left.
Justin Upton, who’s name has been thrown around what seems like months, stepped up to the plate with two aboard. Earlier in the game, Upton was playing a prank and started to hug everyone in the dugout as if he’d been traded, just to see if everyone would freak out on Twitter and such. No one really fell for it though (sorry J-Up).
First pitch swinging he crushed a fastball through the rain filled sky and over the right-center fence to give the Pads a 8-7 lead. The Padres dugout went nuts.
Familia has now blown 3 save opportunities since the All-Star break.
After Yangervis Solarte was retired in the top of the ninth there was another stoppage in play, this time a 2 hour and 50 minute rain delay.
When play resumed, Craig Kimbrel picked up his 30th save of the season and capped an improbable comeback.
On Deck:
The Padres travel to Miami to take on the Marlins for a three-game series.
First pitch – 4:10 pm PT
Ian Kennedy (6-9, 4.58 ERA) takes the mound for the Friars in game one of the series.
David Phelps (4-7, 3.86 ERA) gets the start for the Marlins. His last start was against these Padres and took the loss in a 3-1 Pads win.
Nick was born and raised in San Diego where he became a Chargers and Padres fan, attending numerous home games throughout the years with his dad. He then went on to attend college at the University of Arizona. There he earned his degree in marketing and now lives in San Francisco where he dreams of the the sunny beaches of San Diego. Bear Down.