Padres Series Recap: Napoli’s Walkoff Blast Sinks Padres
Coming into the final game of the San Diego Padres’ four-game series against the Texas Rangers, the Friars were 11-0 when leading after eight innings. Mike Napoli changed that with one swing of the bat.
The Padres went into the bottom of the ninth with a 2-1 lead. Brandon Maurer took the mound looking to earn his fifth save. Instead, he picked up his first blown save after allowing an RBI-single by Rougned Odor.
Maurer picked up his first loss after allowing Napoli to hit his second home run, a three-run shot that gave Texas a 5-2 victory and a series win. With a 3-1 count, Maurer threw a fastball over the plate. Napoli turned on it and launched it into the seats in left-center.
Ryan Schimpf had an RBI-single in the first inning to give San Diego a 1-0 lead. Manuel Margot hit a sacrifice fly in the seventh. The ball looked like it would fall in the gap in left-center, but Delino DeShields ran it down and kept more than one run from scoring.
The Padres won the opening game of the series, and then lost the next three. Ryan Schimpf, Cory Spangenberg, and Austin Hedges all had home runs in the 5-1 win.
Trevor Cahill struck out seven over five-and-one-third innings, and allowed just one hit.
San Diego alum, A.J. Griffin, pitched a gem in his return to America’s Finest City. He went the distance, scattering four hits in an 11-0 rout. Griffin improved to 29-0 for his career when his team scores at least four runs.
Those runs came quickly. Jered Weaver gave up a two-run double to Nomar Mazara, and Ryan Rua added a three home run to give Texas a 5-0 lead in the first inning.
Weaver was pulled after the third inning. He allowed seven runs on six hits, with three of those being home runs. His record fell to 0-4 and his ERA has inflated to 6.81. After the game, Padres executive chairman, Ron Fowler, said that Weaver is on a “short leash.” If his next start is anything like this one, it could possibly be his last in a Padres uniform.
The third game of the series was the first for newcomer, Matt Szczur. Szczur was acquired from the Chicago Cubs in a trade on May 8. The Cubs received minor league player, Justin Hancock, in the trade.
Szczur bedazzled in his Padres debut. He went 3-for-4 with a double and an RBI. His RBI-double came in the top of the second inning. His hit extended the Padres’ lead to 3-1. Earlier in the inning, Erick Aybar hit a solo home run.
Wil Myers hit a solo shot in the top of the first inning. Texas tied the game in the bottom half of the inning. Shin-soo Choo scored on a wild pitch by Luis Perdomo.
Perdomo dueled with Yu Darvish during the game. He allowed three runs on seven hits over six innings. Darvish also allowed three runs on seven hits over six innings pitched. Perdomo won the strikeout battle, striking out seven, compared to Darvish’s six.
Texas scored the winning run in the bottom of the seventh. With runners at first and second with one out, Elvis Andrus hit a ground ball to third base. Spangenberg fielded the grounder and threw to Yangervis Solarte at second for the second out. Solarte tried to turn the double play, but his throw was offline. DeShields scored the go-ahead run. Andy Green thought that Choo should have been called for a slide interference at second and issued a challenge. The call was upheld.
Up next, the Padres continue their interleague road trip with a stay in South Side Chicago. They play a three-game series against the Chicago White Sox, May 12-14. Hopefully they all remember to call their mothers on Sunday.
Mike is the sports editor for the Fayette Advertiser, and has been with East Village Times since 2015. His work has appeared on Bleacher Report. He is an avid Padres fan who is keeping the faith and trusting the process.