Trent Grisham plays hero as Padres sweep doubleheader on wild day
Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports
It was a busy day in the San Diego Padres organization. First, it started with a franchise-altering blockbuster trade for Juan Soto and Josh Bell.
Then, the Padres kicked off Game 1 of a doubleheader against the Colorado Rockies. During the game, they acquired Brandon Drury from the Cincinnati Reds and parted ways with Brent Rooker for backup catcher Cam Gallagher in a deal with the Kansas City Royals.
With all that going on, Bob Melvin and his team had to play two games in one day at Petco Park.
Game 1: Padres win, 13-5
The offense came to life in Game 1 of the twinbill, and indeed the Padres were thrilled with the massive additions to the team. In the first game, San Diego crushed the Rockies, 13-5, and used a strong outing from Yu Darvish to lead the way.
Darvish gutted out six innings, giving up three runs on six hits and striking out seven batters while hurling 107 pitches. It’s a good thing he did, too, because the bullpen got a bit depleted in Game 2. He struggled early, allowing a pair of towering home runs in the first and third innings, but settled down from there.
The Padres offense exploded and scored at least one run in the final five frames — including two or more runs in all but one of the last five innings.
Jurickson Profar went 5-6 with a pair of doubles and two RBIs. Jake Cronenworth had a couple of hits and a home run, and Trent Grisham went 2-4 with a home run and 3 RBIs.
The one. The only. The Crone Zone. #TimeToShine pic.twitter.com/kFwMsV80Ko
— San Diego Padres (@Padres) August 2, 2022
Ha-Seong Kim also added four hits with 2 RBIs, and both Kim and Profar had career-high games in hits in the first game of the doubleheader.
Oddly enough, the only Padres batter not to record a hit was Manny Machado.
Bob Melvin’s response after Game 1 was the same as most of the San Diego fanbase after a wild frenzy of activity over the past 48 hours.
“Tip your hat to AJ for getting all this done.” -Bob Melvin #padres
— Allison Edmonds (@aedmondstv) August 2, 2022
The Padres finished with 19 hits on the game, and left with fans to only imagine what the offense will look like with Drury, Bell, and Soto on board.
Game 2: Padres win, 3-2
Game 2 was a much different story for both teams. The bats went cold for both sides, and both managers trotted out many pitchers.
San Diego sent out Reiss Knehr to start — he was called up as the 27th player earlier in the day. Knehr went 3.2 innings, giving up two runs on four hits but threw 82 pitches before Melvin pulled him.
Then, the bullpen went to work. Steven Wilson threw 1.1 scoreless innings, Tayler Scott twirled two shutout frames, and Adrian Morejon and new-addition Josh Hader each tossed scoreless innings.
Hader went 1-2-3 with a brilliant Padres debut that gave the home crowd a massive boost of energy.
Josh Hader gets announced to the home crowd for the first time! pic.twitter.com/Tz1QyiCqba
— 97.3 The Fan (@973TheFanSD) August 3, 2022
However, the offense disappeared and used all their energy in Game 1. In the second game, the Padres batters registered just four hits entering the bottom of the ninth in a 2-2 tie. They’d also not scored since the first, when the loaded the bases with no outs, turning the threat into their only two runs of the night.
But, the fifth hit was the game-winner as Trent Grisham played hero by delivering a walk-off solo shot to right field.
Trent Grisham walk-off home run! pic.twitter.com/kPKBBVdi5U
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) August 3, 2022
Grisham got mobbed at the plate, and after home runs in each game, it’s well-deserved for the Padres centerfielder.
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To recap, the Padres landed Juan Soto, Josh Bell, and Brandon Drury, traded away Eric Hosmer, AND won both games. August 2, 2022, will be a memorable day in Padres history.
The #padres this week:
1. Joe Musgrove extension
2. Wil Myers return
3. Got Josh Hader
4. Tatis HRs in BP
4. Got Juan Soto and Josh Bell
5. Got Brandon Drury
6. 4-game winning streak on a walk off 😳Can’t wait to introduce y’all to Soto and Bell tomorrow at 1👀 #padres
— Allison Edmonds (@aedmondstv) August 3, 2022
The Padres will send out Blake Snell (3-5, 4.43 ERA) against Chad Kuhl (6-6, 4.59 ERA) in Game 3 of the series and the new-look San Diego lineup should be ready to roll with first pitch at 6:40 PST.
Matthew Wadleigh, born in Oceanside and currently lives in Fresno. He lives with his wife and 2 dogs and is a sports enthusiast. Retired drummer and member of the Fresno State Marching Band. He has been a Padres fan since childhood and has suffered during the struggles just like everybody else.