The bats & bullpen shine bright for Padres in Texas
IMAGE CREDIT: TIM HEITMAN-USA TODAY SPORTS
Chris Paddack and the San Diego Padres were faced with an almost impossible task on Saturday night in following up Joe Musgrove‘s no-hitter, which was the first in franchise history.
For the Padres as a team, Saturday’s game was a chance to win their 6th game of the season and improve to 6-3 while Fernando Tatis Jr. continues to miss time with his shoulder injury.
For Paddack, the start was an opportunity to shake off an underwhelming first start in which he lost to the Arizona Diamondbacks while only going four innings.
Not only did the Padres succeed in following up Musgrove’s no-hitter with a 7-4 win over the Texas Rangers on Saturday night, but they did so impressively. Twice the Padres came back from a deficit to tie or take the lead.
After Paddack allowed three runs in the second inning, the offense answered the call for San Diego. Eric Hosmer, Ha-Seong Kim, and Trent Grisham hit home runs for the Padres, while Manny Machado contributed an RBI double.
For Kim and Grisham, Saturday night’s home runs were their first for 2021. After the game, manager Jayce Tingler commented on Grisham’s early success, saying, “He looks really good at the plate. He’s on time. He got the big homer for us tonight. That’s what we expect of Grish,” Tingler said after the game.
While Paddack was only able to go four innings for the second straight start, he was able to settle down and get through the next two innings without allowing any runs.
“His third and fourth inning, I thought it was crucial. He finished on a high note, and I think it’s something we can continue to build on,” Tingler said regarding Paddack’s outing.
The bullpen was fantastic for the Padres, finishing the game’s final five innings and only allowing a single run. In those five innings, five different arms out of the pen struck out eight while only allowing a single walk.
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Mark Melancon earned his fourth save of the early season for the Padres, closing the door on the win and giving the Padres the series victory over the Rangers heading into Sunday’s series finale.
The Padres final game in Arlington is scheduled for Sunday morning at 11:35 AM. Adrian Morejon will be making his second start for the Padres, who are looking for a sweep.
Kevin is a San Diego Native covering the San Diego Padres and their affiliates