Padres win bullpen game to open road trip 5-4
Credit: AP Photo
The San Diego Padres held on to defeat the Cincinnati Reds in a battle of two bullpens 5-4.
When the Padres departed for Cincinnati on Sunday to being their final road trip before the all-star game, they expected Blake Snell to start Tuesday’s game. Unfortunately for Snell and the Padres, Snell woke up Tuesday with a stomach bug and was scratched from his start. Padres manager Jayce Tingler listed Craig Stammen as the spot starter in what would become a bullpen game.
For the most part, the bullpen held their own, only allowing four runs in their nine innings of work.
Stammen, Nick Ramirez, and Nabil Crismatt were the first three relievers to pitch for the Padres. They were also the only relievers to allow run in the ballgame.
When Tingler pulled Crismatt to bring in Austin Adams, the Padres bullpen recorded the next 14 outs without allowing a hit. Pierce Johnson, who was reinstated from the injured list Tuesday, was the only reliever to allow a hit during that stretch. Drew Pomeranz, who was also recalled from the injured list, added a walk out of the bullpen in addition to Johnson’s walk.
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— San Diego Padres (@Padres) June 30, 2021
“I’m obviously very proud of that group,” Tingler said. “We got pretty late notice that Snell wasn’t able to make the start.”
Mark Melancon recorded his league-leading 25th save to end the bullpen game.
The bullpen needed to record all 14 outs to close out the game without allowing a run because the Padres offense fell apart with runners in scoring position. After the Padres scored all of their five runs in the first four innings, they failed to score for the rest of the game and missed out on several opportunities to put the Reds away.
San Diego went 2-for-12 with runners in scoring position and stranded 16 baserunners. Twelve of those runners were stranded when the Padres left the bases loaded four times in the first seven innings. So much for Slam Diego.
“With the group that we have, the lineup depth that we have, if we are doing our jobs and getting on base, the leaving runners in scoring position would be the last of my concerns,” Tingler said. “I know on most nights we’re gonna be able to get guys in.”
Tommy Pham set the table for the Padres all night by getting on base five times and driving in a run on a sac-fly. Fernando Tatis Jr. followed Pham in the order a single and three walks that were basically all in an attempt to avoid pitching to Tatis Jr.
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— San Diego Padres (@Padres) June 30, 2021
In addition to the top of the order setting the tone, every Padres starter notched a hit Tuesday, including Eric Hosmer. He was ejected for barking at the home plate umpire Hunter Wendelstedt from the dugout.
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Joe Musgrove will start on Wednesday for the Padres, and Tingler announced that Ryan Weathers would be recalled to start on Thursday in the series finale. Musgrove will face Vladimir Gutierriez. The first pitch will be at 4:10 PT.
Dominic is a graduate of Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication, with a bachelor’s degree in Sports Journalism. He also is the producer and co-host of the “Padres EVT Podcast.”