Musgrove leads Padres to 6-3 win over Blue Jays
Apr 21, 2024; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres second baseman Xander Bogaerts (right) is congratulated by right fielder Fernando Tatis Jr. (23) after hitting a home run against the Toronto Blue Jays during the third inning at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports
Petco Park- San Diego, CA
The Padres desperately needed Sunday’s game against the Toronto Blue Jays. They were staring down a sweep at home at the hands of the AL East squad if they did not come through on Sunday.
Joe Musgrove, as he has done several times during his Padres career, took the mound looking to stop the bleeding and turn the momentum back to the Padres dugout. He faced Chris Bassitt of the Blue Jays.
Musgrove out-dueled Bassitt, and the Padres took advantage of sloppy play by Toronto to take the 6-3 win and salvage the finale of the series.
After Joe Musgrove worked a 1-2-3 top of the first, the Padres got a two-out rally going in the bottom half.
Jake Cronenworth lined a single up the middle. Manny Machado then punched a single to right with Cronenworth attempting to steal. Right fielder George Springer misplayed it, allowing the ball to get past him. Cronenworth came in to score on the error to give the Padres a 1-0 lead.
However, San Diego could have had more. Jurickson Profar stood at second with Machado at third and two outs. Profar was then promptly picked off by Toronto starter Chris Bassitt. That missed opportunity loomed large.
Davis Schneider then smacked a solo homer for the Blue Jays, tying the game at one.
Ernie Clement followed that up with a solo shot of his own off of Musgrove in the third. That gave Toronto a 2-1 lead.
The Padres immediately responded in the bottom of the third. Xander Bogaerts has been the subject of much criticism for his deep slump to start the year.
On Sunday, he relieved some of the fan anxiety with a game-tying solo shot, his second homer of the year.
Xander Bogaerts will be just fine
— Padres Nation (@NationPadres) April 21, 2024
Musgrove settled in to get through seven innings with just three runs. That marked the first time Musgrove was able to complete more than six innings in a start this season. In the bottom of the fifth, the Padres loaded the bases for Fernando Tatis Jr.
In a cruel twist of fate, Tatis lined a 93.3 mph shot that had an expected batting average of .850 right to the second baseman for an unassisted double play to end the inning. That was the second time the Padres had multiple runners in scoring position in the game with little to show for it.
Tatis made up for it with his glove. He made an excellent sliding grab in foul territory in the second inning. He outdid himself in the eighth when George Springer seemed to have a sure-fire double in the right-center gap.
BaseballSavant had the liner at 105.7 mph with a 68% chance of falling in for a hit.
Just one thing- Tatis isn’t interested in probabilities.
Who needs Superman when you have @tatis_jr? 😎 pic.twitter.com/QzZRQ5MqGF
— San Diego Padres (@Padres) April 21, 2024
The Padres took advantage of Toronto’s miscues all game. With one out in the sixth and a runner on first, Bassitt walked Jurickson Profar. Trevor Richards relieved Bassitt at that point, who then promptly walked Ha-Seong Kim to load the bases.
Luis Campusano worked a long at-bat into a key walk that drove in the go-ahead run for the Padres. Another miscue gave a run to the Padres as Tyler Wade hit catcher Danny Jansen‘s glove for catcher’s interference. That allowed another run to score, pushing San Diego’s lead to 4-2.
Musgrove worked through a tough seventh inning that saw the Blue Jays have runners on second and third with just one out. The runner at second represented the tying run. To Musgrove’s credit, after a mound visit, he buckled down to work out of the inning with just one run scoring. The Padres led by just one after seven innings.
Once again, some sloppy pitching allowed for the Padres to extend their lead in the bottom of the eighth. Two walks and a hit by pitch loaded the bases for Bogaerts. He worked an RBI walk to give the Padres a 5-3 lead and some breathing room headed into the ninth. However, that is not all. Tatis then came up and nearly hit a grand slam, with the fly ball falling just a few feet short of the left field wall. Still, a run scored on the sac fly.
With a three run lead, manager Mike Schildt turned to his closer Robert Suarez. He closed the door, working a double play to seal the win and his seventh straight successful save opportunity to open the season.
The Padres now head to Denver for a four-game series with the Rockies, starting Monday at 5:40 pm PT.
Native of Escondido, CA. Lived in San Diego area for 20 years. Padres fan since childhood (mid-90s). I have been writing since 2014. I currently live near Seattle, WA and am married to a Seattle sports girl. I wore #19 on my high school baseball team for Tony Gwynn. I am a stats and sports history nerd. I attended BYU on the Idaho campus. I also love Star Wars.