Petco Park- San Diego, CA

The Padres and Royals met on Wednesday afternoon to settle the rubber game of this three-game set at Petco Park. Yu Darvish took the mound for the Padres, offering optimism that the Padres could take the series from the lowly Royals.

Kansas City countered with Carlos Hernandez.

Despite Kansas City’s best efforts to give the game, and series, away to the Padres, they came away with the 4-3 victory and series win. Royals pitchers walked nine hitters, plus one wild pitch and a balk that gifted the Padres a run. Yet, the Padres could not capitalize.

In what is starting to define the 2023 Padres, the opportunities were plenty, the execution was non-existent. The Padres loaded the bases three separate times and mustered just two runs from it.

Darvish was not at his sharpest but still pitched into the sixth inning, allowing four runs on six hits and two walks. The combination of Tim Hill, Steven Wilson, Tom Cosgrove, and Luis Garcia held the Royals to three hits and zero runs over the final 3 2/3 innings. For the second time in as many days, the Padres bats could not take advantage of a solid bullpen effort.

Jake Cronenworth briefly tied the game at one with a solo homer to right. The bats lacked any sign of pop after that.

The Friars left 12 men on base. In the fourth, Trent Grisham came up with the bases loaded and one out. He and Austin Nola struck out to kill the rally.

Naturally, Royals slugger Vinnie Pasquatino slugged a two-run shot to untie the game moments later, making it 3-1 Kansas City. The Royals scratched across a fourth run on a Maikel Garcia double.

Once again, that part of the order had a golden opportunity with the bases loaded in the sixth. Grisham struck out after a run scored due to a balk on Josh Taylor. Xander Bogaerts beat out an infield single after the Royals misplayed a grounder up the middle to score a second run in the inning.

Fernando Tatis Jr. came up with the bases loaded with a big chance and popped out to end the threat.

The Padres once again loaded the bases in the seventh. However, Juan Soto was thrown out at the plate to end the inning after trying to score on a wild pitch.

It seemed as though nothing went the Padres’ way, even with some seemingly generous offerings from the 14-31 Royals.

The Padres lost the game 4-3 and the series to the last-place team in the AL Central. They now have a day off before welcoming the Boston Red Sox into town for a three-game set.

Nick Lee

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.