Padres face must-win against Cardinals after ugly Game 1 loss
Credit: AP Photo
The San Diego Padres were unable to overcome a 4-0 deficit after the top of the first inning, lose Game 1 of the best-of-three series to the St. Louis Cardinals 7-4.
Coming from behind to win has been one of the major themes during the 2020 season for the San Diego Padres. Twenty-two times, which led baseball, the Padres had to overcome deficits to win a ballgame.
The regular season, however, is a different type of animal than the postseason. In San Diego’s first postseason game in 14 years, they fell victim to an early deficit to the St. Louis Cardinals that they could never quite overcome.
Chris Paddack, who was named the Game 1 starter for the Padres in what was a relatively surprising move given his struggles, lasted only 2.1 innings. Before the top of the first was over, Paddack had allowed four runs, including five straight hits.
In all, Paddack allowed eight hits and six earned runs while striking out only one. The big blow from the Cardinals off the Padres’ starter was a two-run home run by Paul Goldschmidt that set the tone for the rest of the game.
The Padres started to try and chip away at the four-run deficit, scoring one run each in the first and second innings. Two runs would be the closest the Padres would get, however.
After the Cardinals lead was cut down to 4-2, the Cardinals immediately got two runs back in the top of the third, regaining a four-run cushion at 6-2.
A Tommy Pham RBI single in the bottom of the third made the score 6-3, which would hold firm until a 7th inning RBI sac-fly for Austin Nola put the Padres within two again. Unfortunately for San Diego, rookie Jake Cronenworth ran into an out on the basepaths on the Nola sac fly, getting caught between second and third base on the throw home from the outfield.
The Cardinals would go on to score one more run off of Trevor Rosenthal in the ninth inning, putting St. Louis up 7-4, which would go on to the be the final score.
Aside from the Rosenthal hiccup in the ninth, San Diego’s bullpen was one of the few bright spots in the game. In 6.2 innings, the Padres’ bullpen shut down St. Louis between the last of the third inning and the ninth inning. There’s no telling what type of effect this will have on the Padres’ options in games two and potentially three.
An ugly start to the postseason for San Diego puts the Padres in a do-or-die situation in Game 2 which will take place Thursday afternoon.
The Padres will send Zach Davies (7-4, 2.73 ERA) to the mound to face off against Cardinals veteran starter Adam Wainwright (5-3, 3.15 ERA).
Kevin is a San Diego Native covering the San Diego Padres and their affiliates
The Padres must have read this aloud in their dugout between innings. No sooner had I posted it when they erupt to take back the game and the momentum.
Teams that can’t pitch or hit don’t win games.
While the fact that we couldn’t have our two top starters available, not hitting is an individual issue. Fernando has been in an obvious slump. Hitters trying to do too much is a result of the lack of experience.
I hope Tingler realizes that EVERYONE needs days off, including Fernando.
I believe they’ll exit after two games, unfortunately. But, when they return next year, I hope they’ll be ready and better prepared. Some excitement this year which wasn’t a given. It was still a good year for the team as a whole.