Lamet, Defense Shaky, Padres Fall Late to Marlins on Walkoff 4-3
Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
Miami, Florida
Dinelson Lamet took the ball for his third start in the big leagues since returning from Tommy John surgery. He labored for most of his outing but he was able to get out of the first inning without damage. He had no such luck in the second inning, allowing two runs to score, some of it because of suspect play behind him.
The Padres did take a brief lead in the top of the second when Austin Hedges hit a sacrifice fly with the bases loaded but the lead was short-lived.
The Marlins added another run in the fourth when Harold Ramirez launched a solo home run, making it 3-1.
Lamet attempted to settle in but he was done after four innings, allowing six hits with two walks and three runs, but only one of them was earned due to poor defense behind Lamet. Hedges threw a ball into the outfield, attempting to get a runner at second base, allowing a run to score.
The bullpen took over and shut it down, allowing the Padres’ bats to try to tie it up. Matt Strahm, rookie Andres Munoz and Craig Stammen combined for four scoreless innings, including Munoz going two innings with three strikeouts. He has impressed so far in three games, not allowing a run and striking out six while breaking radar guns everywhere with 102 MPH fastballs.
As if triple-digit heat wasn't enough, Andres Muñoz's slider is UNFAIR.#FriarFaithful pic.twitter.com/GZSP1nNmhl
— San Diego Padres (@Padres) July 18, 2019
The Friars were able to tie the game back up as the chipped away in the fifth and sixth. Fernando Tatis Jr., who had a challenging series both with the bat and the glove, launched a home run into center, the 15th of his brilliant rookie season. Then in the sixth, the Padres rallied to get a runner on second ahead of pinch-hitter Francisco Mejia, who lofted a single to tie the game at three.
Each team exchanged scoreless seventh and eighth innings and entered the ninth inning, still tied up. The Padres were unable to mount a rally against veteran Sergio Romo in the top half. It came down to Trey Wingenter in the bottom of the ninth to try to send the game into extras. He struck out Neil Walker before allowing Garrett Cooper to reach on a single. Pinch-runner Yadiel Rivera then stole second on a failed hit-and-run.
With the winning run at second base, Brian Anderson lined one down the left field line, scoring Rivera and walking off the win for the Miami Marlins, also giving Miami the series win.
Much like last year, when they were 5-20, the Friars are finding it tough sledding in the month of July, now falling to 4-9 this month. All the momentum they gained from taking three of four at Dodger Stadium before the All-Star break has gone up in smoke and they are four games under .500, the lowest they have been this season.
San Diego will try to pick up the pieces in Chicago but it will only get tougher as the Cubs are in first place in the NL Central.
Native of Escondido, CA. Lived in San Diego area for 20 years. Padres fan since childhood (mid-90s). I have been writing since 2014. I currently live near Seattle, WA and am married to a Seattle sports girl. I wore #19 on my high school baseball team for Tony Gwynn. I am a stats and sports history nerd. I attended BYU on the Idaho campus. I also love Star Wars.
Pathetic. Unacceptable defense. Throwing the ball away all over the field the past couple of days. We played up to the competition in The Dodgers but did not come out of the gate in the second half focused. Should have taken 2 out of 3 from both the Braves and the Marlins! Now we go to Wrigley. Seems to me that Green needs to call a closed door team meeting and chew some people out. How about a little more hustle. With man on first, Manny pops up to short and the camera shows him not even dropping his bat, he just walks back to the dugout. What if the shortstop was smart enough to let the ball drop. It would have been an easy double play. Someone needs to say something. We are getting closer but we are still a catcher, a second baseman and a center fielder away although I must give Margot some credit. Since the Myers implosion in center, Margot is showing marked improvement there.
2 wins, 4 loses against perhaps the worst team. All of Yates value will likely be wasted, one way or another. This team had great potential for this year, but a few glaring holes doomed them. Otherwise they would be in the think of things, even leading the WC.