Mejias-Brean walk-off home run gives Barajas first win for Padres
Credit: USA Today Sports
Petco Park- San Diego, California
The Rod Barajas era has begun as the new San Diego Padres manager made his debut on Saturday with the team.
It took ten innings and a walk-off homer on Sunday for the former catcher to earn his first win in the major league. A blast off the bat of Seth Mejias-Brean with Greg Garcia on bard gave the Padres a 6-4 win over the Diamondbacks. The Padres salvaged the three-game series by taking the final game. “It was fun to see these guys (older prospects) get a chance and take advantage of it,” Manager Rod Barajas said after the game.
Garrett Richards started the game and only managed to throw 1 2/3 innings before being removed in the 2nd inning. He gave up four runs in his 38-pitch effort, allowing four hits and two walks. Richards now has an 11.81 ERA in 2019, but the Padres just seem content with his health. The right-hander is showing positive signs in his return from Tommy John surgery, and that bodes well for the Padres in 2020. “He feels healthy, and he feels strong. And for us, that is a good sign,” Barajas told the media after the game.
Seven pitchers relieved Richards as each man had a scoreless appearance. Robbie Erlin threw two shutout innings in the win, and Matt Strahm was credited with the win after pitching the 10th inning for San Diego. Strahm is now 6-10 on the season with a 4.76 ERA. He is 1-2 in his last 15 games with a 1.65 ERA and a 0.92 WHIP.
Ty France homered and doubled in the win and is now 6-for-18 (.333) in last eight games. Francisco Mejia recorded two base hits off the bench and looks utterly healthy after going down early this month with an oblique injury.
Mejias-Brean was the star of the game as he went 3-for-4 on the day with three RBIs. The right-handed hitter now has a 1.064 OPS on the year. Rad Barajas joked after the game with the media that he would have a hard time leaving him off the lineup in the next game.
WHAT A STORY! SETH MEJIAS-BREAN RIPS A WALK-OFF ? IN THE 10TH!
THE @PADRES WIN!#FriarFaithful pic.twitter.com/iy390iYaxi
— FOX Sports San Diego (@FOXSportsSD) September 22, 2019
The Padres will have a day off on Monday. On Tuesday the team starts a three-game series and the last home games of the 2019 season.
James was born and raised in America’s Finest City. He is a passionate baseball fan with even more passion towards his hometown Padres. Editor-In-Chief of EastVillageTimes.com. Always striving to bring you the highest quality in San Diego Sports News. Original content, with original ideas, that’s our motto. Enjoy.
The magnitude of Preller’s Folly will be felt beyond the next 5 years. People will continue to avoid or minimize the elephant in the dugout, but until this is rectified, the Padres are going nowhere. [perhaps he bats 8th and only against certain righties.] The Angels have their Pujols, the Tigers have their Cabrera, and the Reds are increasing saddled with the declining Votto. Preller needs to stop trying to save face and just openly admit what a horrific decision (in a multitude of ways) it was on his part to sign Hosmer, and then greatly reduce his PT, and then bench him, and then cut him. This is what happens to all bad-and-declining players, in a vacuum, but, sadly, no one has the guts to do it here.
The padres have a bunch of dead weight tied around their neck for the next five years (in the form of Eric Hosmer). They aren’t going anywhere with him as a regular in their lineup. He is the worst defensive first baseman in the league by far, and nearly the worst hitting first baseman.
I know this sounds crazy and drastic, but they should just eat the rest of his dreadful contract (maybe after a month or two next season)…..that is how bad he is now AND he is declining.