Padres lose lead late in 6-5 loss to Arizona
Credit: Padres
Chase Field- Phoenix, Arizona
In the second to the last game of the 2019 season, the San Diego Padres lost 6-5 as the bullpen faltered once again.
Garrett Richards started the game for San Diego and went 3 1/3 innings, only allowing a solo homer off the bat of Christian Walker in the 2nd inning. He walked four in the contest and struck out four batters in his 58-pitch effort. The veteran pitcher was clocked in the mid-’90s continually (topping out at 98 mph) and looked very healthy to end his season. He seems poised to have a very productive year for the Padres in 2020. “He is getting better,” Rod Barajas said after the game about Richards. “A few too many walks but he is getting that feel back,” the manager said.
Robbie Erlin relieved Richards and was affective going 1 2/3 innings of scoreless ball. Matt Strahm was next, and he threw a shutout inning for the Padres. Strahm has a 1.65 ERA in his last 15 games pitching out of the bullpen.
The Friars held the lead late in the game, but a five-run inning off of David Bednar sealed the Padres loss. The rookie right-hander only managed to get two outs in the inning as he allowed three hits and two walks. A grand slam off the bat of Christian Walker put Arizona up for good. His second homer of the day and 29th on the season. Bednar now has a 6.55 ERA in 13 games since his promotion from Double-A Amarillo. “We trust him,” Barajas said of the rookie pitcher. “He needs to attack hitters.”
Offensively, the Padres managed nine hits in the game. Manny Machado, Luis Urias, and Eric Hosmer all homered in the loss. Machado went 1-for-3 on the day and has a .793 OPS currently. Hosmer went 1-for-4 in the loss and has a .740 OPS. Urias was the hitting hero as he went 3-for-4 and now has his batting average up to .226 on the season. “There have been mechanical changes that he has made, and he stuck to it. We love where he is at right now,” Barajas said about Urias. Ty France also recorded two hits in the game including his 8th double of the season. There is a lot to like about the youth on this team.
You better Luis yourself in the music, the moment, you own it.@LuisUrias03 • #FriarFaithful pic.twitter.com/3GVhbB6W9v
— San Diego Padres (@Padres) September 29, 2019
Francisco Mejia doubled with two outs in the 9th, but Wil Myers flew out on a 2-0 pitch to end the threat. 6-5, Arizona was the final score.
The last game of the series and the final match of the 2019 season is on Sunday. Michel Baez will start the game for San Diego and be opposed by Tajuan Walker of the Arizona Diamondbacks.
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.
As a season ticket holder for he Padres, I am livid, I wasted 2 hours watching the game not to let that clown Bednar give up a grand slam . Seriously thinking about non renewing if they aren’t even goi g to try to win games
In an end of the year game, why wouldn’t you give one of your farm system closers a chance in the big leagues? The point of this year was to win next year and the next several years. If young guns never get a chance, there’s no way to progress. Keep the faith.
I’m a season ticket holder too. Bednar has been solid in the farm and decent at the ML level. He’s young.
Would you have rather gone 4-4 at the end and had the 13th draft pick in a meaningless season, ending 74-88 or get the 8th pick (In a supposedely super loaded draft)? For me, more high end talent for the future is much more important than wearing down arms and not giving the young guys a chance.
If there was ever a year you should re-renew, it would be 2020. Don’t miss the upswing.