Padres once again show fight, but fall short in extras to Braves in extras 7-5
Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports
San Diego, California
The Padres looked to even up the series against the Braves in the opening series of the second half of the 2019 season. Joey Lucchesi took the mound for San Diego opposite Julio Teheran in front of a sold-out crowd on a beautiful night at Petco Park.
The game got off to a rough start for Lucchesi as Josh Donaldson hit a two-run homer after a walk to give the Braves a quick 2-0 lead in the first inning. After that, Lucchesi retired the next 10 in a row.
The Padres immediately responded when Manny Machado launched his 22nd home run of the season, his second in two games in this series. That cut the lead in half. Each team traded scoreless innings until the bottom of the fifth when Francisco Mejia led off with a solo home run, tying the game at two.
Manuel Margot then worked a walk and then advanced to third on a passed ball and a throwing error by Atlanta catcher Tyler Flowers. Josh Naylor then hit a fly ball deep enough to score Margot on a sacrifice fly, giving the Friars a 3-2 lead. Margot would walk three times in the evening.
Lucchesi finished with five innings pitched, allowing two runs on three hits, two walks, and four strikeouts.
Each team had a scoreless sixth inning, but in the seventh inning, Ronald Acuna launched a game-tying home run against Craig Stammen.
In the bottom of the seventh, Margot worked another walk and then Fernando Tatis Jr. was later intentionally walked, putting runners on first and third. Tatis then got into a pickle which sent Margot barreling towards home, sliding in safe to give the Padres the lead back at 4-3.
Speed. On. The. Bases.@Padres re-take the lead with this double steal!#FriarFaithful pic.twitter.com/aYWvRMRRrI
— Bally Sports San Diego (@BallySportsSD) July 14, 2019
In the eighth, Gerardo Reyes started the inning on the mound for San Diego and immediately walked the leadoff hitter, causing Andy Green to switch to All-Star closer Kirby Yates to try for the six out save.
It did not go as planned.
Nick Markakis singled, and after a ground ball, Josh Donaldson got to third. Austin Riley then hit a fly ball, which scored Donaldson and tied the game once again, now 4-4.
Yates pitched a scoreless ninth, sending the Friars to the bottom of the ninth still tied. They were able to get the winning run to second base, but Tatis struck out to send the game into extra innings.
Luis Perdomo walked the leadoff batter of extra innings, Donaldson, who got to second on a fielder’s choice. He then scored on an Ozzie Albies single, giving the Braves the 5-4 lead in the 10th inning. Flowers then lined a two-run double into right, extending Atlanta’s lead to 7-4.
Machado led off the bottom of the 10th with his second homer of the night, his fourth multi-homer game of the season. The Padres were able to get the winning run at the plate in Mejia, who launched a ball into the right-field corner. It took a fantastic catch by Markakis to save the game for the Braves. Margot was intentionally walked and with no other reserves left, the reliever Perdomo was forced to bat with the bases loaded and two outs. He struck out looking to end the game, and the Braves won 7-5.
Overall, the Padres walked five batters, three of them came around to score. San Diego falls two games under .500 and will try to salvage a game of this weekend series on Sunday.
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.
If Preller was willing to throw $13 million at Mitchell (a complete bust), $6-7 million at a 2nd round draft slot (to use on a guy who will never see the show), $15.5 million on a oft-injured pitcher who is on the wrong side of 30, who is also trying to come back from TJ surgery, and who will, at best, pitch a partial season, plus Preller’s many other dubious moves (not to mention Preller’s Folly of $144 for the below average first baseman)…..then why would he not invest in middle relief? If the Padres had just one or two more solid-to-better-than-solid relievers then they would be ahead in the WC. But now they are stuck with the El Paso merry-go-round (Maton; Reyes; Perdermo; etc). Now Green is so desperate he is bringing in his closer in for a 6 out save?
At what point does Preller experience consequences for his horrible handling and construction of the roster?
Granted, Doody does not have a major league bullpen to work with but I’m wondering how many chances does Myers get. Also, we got burned again using the famous Andy Green shift. There is a fine line between winning and making money and the front office is telling us its about winning but its really about making money. Myers is the perfect example of this. Perdomo should never have been placed in that situation, both in pitching and in pitch hitting. Shame on Doody.
How about a more telling and realistic headline?
Padres middle relievers blow another lead, and eventually lose another ballgame
The Padres have two reliable relievers, two. The rest are AAA type relievers who have overburdened the two good relievers. Who assembled this bullpen and thought it would help the team?
That would be the same guy who traded Hand and Cimber and hired Howdy Doody as a manager.
…..and it was one of those AAA relievers who lost the game today. Thanks AJ! Don’t worry, though, because apparently you have nothing to be worried about.