The Sheriff and La Mole End Padres Skid in 2-1 Win
Padres
Petco Park- San Diego, California
Having lost six of their last seven games, the San Diego Padres needed Chris Paddack more than ever on Monday.
The Diamondbacks are in town and have battered the Padres at Petco Park in the last two seasons. Arizona is 10-4 in their previous 14 games in San Diego. In the team’s last visit to Petco in mid-April, the Padres took three out of four from the D-Backs, so there was some hope for the Friars.
The game started with a three-pitch strikeout from Paddack. He made short work of the Diamondbacks, only using ten pitches to get out of the inning and striking out two hitters. Paddack was working fast and seemed on a mission early in this contest. He made it through two innings without giving up a hit, and there was a buzz in the crowd that he had no-hit stuff.
A bouncing ball after Paddack’s glove off the bat of Nick Ahmed broke up the no-hit bid in the third. Paddack seemed displeased that he missed the two hopper, but immediately tried regained his focus on the task at hand. A weak single by Carson Kelly put runners on first and third with nobody out. After a fielders choice, Paddack got leadoff hitter Jarrod Dyson to ground out to second. The speedy outfielder beat out the attempt at a double-play and the Diamondbacks had a 1-0 lead. Paddack looked visibly upset that he allowed a run in that frame. He walked off the mound shaking his head in disgust.
The contest stayed 1-0, as the Padres had difficulty squaring up Arizona’s starting pitcher Luke Weaver. The right-handed pitcher induced plenty of weak contact on the night from the Padres’ bats. Weaver made it through five innings, only allowing a single off the bat of Austin Hedges.
Paddack had thrown 89 pitches on the night and struck out seven when he left the game for a pinch hitter in the bottom of the sixth. For the right-handed pitcher, it was a quality start, but the offense just did not pick him up while he was in there. Thankfully for Paddack, Franmil Reyes crushed a pitch into “The Beach” with Greg Garcia on in the bottom of the sixth to give the Padres a 2-1 lead. Paddack would still have an opportunity to earn a win. After the game, Paddack talked about the homer off the bat of Franmil. “It fired us all up,” Paddack said with a smile
Franmil, after the game, spoke about the homer. “It was the same pitch he was throwing all night (cutter). I saw it and hit it. I did not feel my hands at all. It was all barrel,” Reyes said with a grin. The Padres needed that moment to pick them up, and the mammoth outfielder came through big. Manager Andy Green said after the game, “He’s got real power.”
LA MOLE. CRUSHED. @PADRES LEAD.#FriarFaithful | @La_Mole_13 pic.twitter.com/eVBiK4Rg6g
— FOX Sports San Diego (@FOXSportsSD) May 21, 2019
The Padres called upon Trey Wingenter to protect the lead in the seventh, but the reliever got a little wild. He walked two batters and was relieved by Adam Warren with one out and runners on first and second base. Alex Avila pinch hit for the pitcher Weaver in the important situation and was walked on four pitches. Dyson, who drove in the only run for the D-Backs, was up with a chance to do damage. He promptly struck on a nasty change from Warren who then proceeded to get Ketel Marte to ground out to end the threat.
The Padres rallied in the bottom of the eighth, trying to add-on to their lead. Hedges led off the inning with a base hit and went to third on a Manuel Margot single up the middle. Margot stole second on the next pitch, leaving runners on second and third base for the Friars with nobody out. Garcia struck out for the first out of the inning but up walked Reyes with another chance to do damage in the game. The outfielder battled, but also struck out on a high fastball from Archie Bradley. After a pitching change, Eric Hosmer struck out on three pitches. There would be no adding on to the lead.
Kirby Yates entered the game through the fence in left field to a loud cheer. The right-handed reliever had already saved 17 games for the team in 2019. He wasted no time, striking out the first two batters he faced in the inning. With two out, Kelly flew out to center to end the ballgame. The Padres’ losing streak was over.
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.