Tatis homers twice, Paddack pitches well but Padres lose 3-2
Credit: AP Photo
Petco Park- San Diego, California
The San Diego Padres dropped game two of their three-game set against Arizona Diamondbacks on Saturday.
Padres’ shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. led off the game on Saturday with a towering home run for the second night in a row. The 394-foot blast measured 110.2 mph off the bat of Tatis. Despite the early fireworks, the Friars struggled to manufacture runs and put together a rally.
Chris Paddack continues to baffle hitters with his dynamic pitching repertoire. The results may not have been favorable for Paddack, in the end, Saturday, but he threw well on the night for San Diego. The big Texan was on his “A” game early in the contest as he worked the inner part of the plate, especially against the left-handers that were stacked throughout the Arizona lineup. After the game, Jayce Tingler spoke about his young ace. “I thought he was good for the most part. He had a good rhythm and pitched well enough for us to win tonight,” Tingler said.
Paddack looked dominant through three innings but left the game trailing 3-1. Two solo home runs from Arizona in the top of the 6th knocked him from the contest. “The game sped up on me tonight,” Paddack admitted after the game. The right-hander threw 95 pitches in the game but only went 5 2/3 innings on the night. Not the best night for the young hurler, but his offspeed assortment looked very sharp. Paddack broke off some very tight spinning curves in the game that provided excellent depth through the strike zone. If this third pitch can continue to develop and flourish, the sky is the limit for the young pitcher.
“He casted a few curveballs, but battled and kept us in the game,” Jayce Tingler said after the game. The manager was frustrated with the loss but tipped his cap to the Diamondbacks’ pitcher.
Right-handed pitcher Merrill Kelly frustrated Padres’ hitters all night, mixing his assortment of pitches. The journeyman possesses five pitches and utilized each one on Saturday to every batter he faced. Manny Machado hit the ball very hard twice (115 mph and 110.6 mph), but the results were two double plays. That was indicative of how the night went for the Friars batters throughout the night.
Kelly was removed from the game after 84 pitches in the bottom of the seventh inning. Tommy Pham nubbed a ball in front of the plate. The outfielder was initially called out by the first base umpire, but after review, Pham was credited with a hit. Lefty, Andrew Chaffin came in for Arizona and put out the fire for the D-backs.
In the bottom of the eighth inning, Tatis sent a ball 402 feet for his second homer of the night. The 101 mph blast off the bat of the shortstop brought the Padres to within one run, but that would be it for San Diego. Tatis is killing the ball right now, but there are no immediate plans to move the leadoff hitter into a run-producing spot. “We are open to a lot of things. He is in a pretty good groove right now and would like to see him locked in,” Jayce Tingler said after the game.
A small rally in the 9th did not provide any runs for San Diego, as Diamondback closer Archie Bradley earned the save despite allowing a one-out walk to Tommy Pham.
The Padres will look to take the series on Sunday as Dinelson Lamet is on the mound. The first pitch is scheduled for 1:10 pm.
News and Notes
–Eric Hosmer returned to the Padres’ lineup after a stint on the IL. The first baseman reported to the media that he is feeling much better and was given no diagnosis for his mysterious ailment. Hosmer will watch his diet and re-evaluate his health in the offseason in regards to his GI problems. The veteran infielder came up with one out in the ninth and sent a high fly ball to the warning track in right field.
–Greg Garcia celebrated his 31st birthday by doubling in his first at-bat. He went 1-for-3 in the game.
–Javy Guerra looked very impressive, striking out a batter in a flawless inning. The former shortstop hit 102 on the radar gun with his fastball. “We love the defense he provides us up the middle on top of the stuff he posses,” Jayce Tingler reported after the game on Saturday.
– Jorge Mateo is inching his way back to the team after missing time with a positive COVID-19 result. Jayce Tingler reports that he is working on the outfield and could make his debut at that position eventually for San Diego.
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.