Josh Bell’s Two Home Runs Propel Pirates Past Padres 7-2

Petco Park- San Diego, California

Nick Margevicius struggled Saturday night, giving up two home runs to Josh Bell, and six runs in four plus innings as the Pirates took down the Padres 7-2.

Margevicius just could not find the strike zone, consistently missing his spots, and the Pirates made him pay. After a quiet first inning, Margevicius got rocked in the second and third. Josh Bell led off the second with a solo shot, followed immediately by a Bryan Reynolds blast which gave them a 2-0 lead. In the third Josh Bell hit his second homer of the game, this one a three-run shot to left which increased their lead to 5-0.

Meanwhile, the Padres offense was struggling against the Pirates pitching staff.

Manager Clint Hurdle used the opener tactic and had his starter, Montana DeRapau, go two innings before Steven Brault came in relief in the third inning. In those first three innings alone, San Diego hitters struck out five times but were able to draw three walks.

During the bottom of the third, after Brault was able to get Margevicius down swinging, he started to struggle with his command as well. Ian Kinsler and Franmil Reyes walked, then Manny Machado strode to the plate. Machado calmly sent the first pitch he was right back up the middle, scoring Kinsler and chipping into the Pirates lead.

Manny Machado smokes one up the middle to single home Ian Kinsler and the @Padres are on the board in the 3rd!#FriarFaithful pic.twitter.com/82VH3EOUu3

— Bally Sports San Diego (@BallySportsSD) May 19, 2019

Hunter Renfroe then left the bases loaded when he grounded into an inning-ending double play, with the Pirates leading 5-1.

Margevicius finally got a clean inning in the fourth, where he sent down the side in order via two groundouts and a flyout. However, he would not record an out in the fifth as he gave up another home run, this time to Gregory Polanco, and was pulled after the at-bat with the Pirates up 6-1. Phil Maton would come into pitch, and as part of the double switch, Wil Myers came out of the game and was replaced by Manuel Margot.

Myers, who has struggled immensely recently, struck out in both of his plate appearances. Those strikeouts were his 41st and 42nd of his last 100 at-bats, Myers is now hitting .234. Margevicius threw 77 pitches in 4+ innings of work, 45 for strikes, but his fastball hovered at 88 mph all night, allowing the Pirates to sit back and attack it.

Nick Margevicius surrendered four Pirates home runs in four-plus innings. Pittsburgh hadn't homered more than three times in a single game this season. Wil Myers, who also exited as part of a double-switch, has struck out in 42 of his last 100 plate appearances.

— Dennis Lin (@dennistlin) May 19, 2019

After Machado plated a run in the fourth, pinch hitter Austin Allen got an RBI in the sixth after he hit a single down the left field line scoring Renfroe who had gotten on previously via a wall ball double. Those two base hits were the first time the Padres had scored a run NOT due to a home run since Sunday, May 12th.

Pittsburgh would add on a run in the ninth after Gerardo Reyes walked two and gave up a hit to load the bases. Then Adam Warren came in and gave up a hit to Elias Diaz, scoring a run and increasing their lead to 7-2.

The Padres wouldn’t be able to muster any more runs on the night, striking out a total of 12 times in total, and only walking five times. They will hope to avoid the series loss tomorrow when Cal Quantrill (0-1, 3.60 ERA) toes the rubber against Joe Musgrove(2-4, 3.59 ERA).

Michael Abbott

Michael is currently a junior at the University of Oregon. Passionate about all things MLB, especially the Padres. USMNT and Leicester City supporter. Just trying to have hair like Travis Jankowski. Follow me on twitter: @_Michael_Abbott