Padres Week in Review: Back-To-Back Homers Result In Sweep, Perhaps Saving Season

[Steve Drumwright]

San Diego Padres Weekly Snapshot

Record last week: 4-3

Runs scored last week: 37

Runs allowed last week: 26 (season run differential: minus-21)

 

 

Scores

• Game 100 (Monday): Atlanta 3, Padres 2
• Game 101 (Tuesday): Padres 8, Atlanta 3
• Game 102 (Wednesday): Atlanta 7, Padres 6
• Game 103 (Thursday): Atlanta 6, Padres 5
• Game 104 (Friday): Padres 4, Marlins 2
• Game 105 (Saturday): Padres 7, Marlins 2
• Game 106 (Sunday): Padres 5, Marlins 3

Week in Review and Highlights

Atlanta series

Game 1: This is one of those games that if the Padres had a better record, it would hurt, but not as much. But as a team whose postseason hopes are dangling by an ever-thinning thread, it stings that much more. Manny Machado and Ty France hit solo homers and left-handed starter JP France went at least five innings for the third time in five outings, but it wasn't enough in a 3-2 loss to open a four-game series against Atlanta. Michael Harris II and Ozzie Albies homered for Atlanta, which got a solid outing from right-handed starter Bryce Elder. The Padres outhit Atlanta 7-4, but couldn't get the hit when they needed it the most.

How desperate are the Padres? After Fernando Tatis Jr. led off the game with a walk and Jackson Merrill struck out, No. 3 hitter Machado put down a bunt toward third base that he easily beat out. But Tatis was then nabbed trying to steal third and France grounded out to end the inning. After France hit his 15th homer of the season, and third in two days, in the top of the seventh to pull the Padres within 3-2, Luis Rengifo singled and went to third on a pair of groundouts. Pinch-hitter Luis Campusano drew a full-count walk and Sung-Mun Song flew out to center. Those were the big threats. Meanwhile, JP Sears allowed a pair of runs, one unearned, on three hits and no walks, striking out three. Both runs came in the fifth, his final inning. Left-hander Wandy Peralta allowed a sixth-inning homer for a 3-1 Padres deficit.

Game 2: With their most noteworthy lineup shuffle, moving Xander Bogaerts down and France into the cleanup spot, the Padres had a nice day offensively. They also had a nice day on the mound, a rare occurrence where both parts synched up to provide a solid victory, this an 8-3 victory over Atlanta. How much France's presence in the top four affected Tatis, Machado and Merrill we don't really know, but that trio homered in the same game for the first time this season. While Machado had a pair of solo homers, Tatis' blow was the highlight of the night. Nando hit a monstrous 474-foot two-run blast in the eighth inning, the longest in MLB this season and the second-longest behind a 477-footer in Colorado in 2021. It was also Tatis' third homer in four games, giving him eight this season. His lowest season total was actually misleading as he hit 17 in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season. His fewest in a 162-game schedule was 21 in 2024.

The revamped lineup had Tatis getting three hits, three RBIs and two runs scored, Cronenworth one hit, Machado two hits, two RBIs and two runs scored and France two hits and an RBI. France's RBI came in the top of the first, immediately paying dividends. Merrill had two hits, including his solo homer in the sixth, an inning after Machado's solo shot.

Padres right-handed starter Walker Buehler was good despite walking five. That is because he only allowed two hits over 5⅔ innings as he struck out three. Left-hander Yuki Matsui gave up a seventh-inning run in his two-thirds of an inning. Right-hander Bradgley Rodriguez, left-hander Adrian Morejon and right-handed closer Mason Miller finished things off without allowing a run. Rodriguez struck out a pair in his two-thirds of an inning, while Miller struck out three of the five batters he faced in the nonsave situation. Momentum, for the day, was back on the Padres' side.

Game 3: Which came first, the chicken or the egg? That can be applied to what happened to the Padres in their 7-6 loss to Atlanta. The Padres scored five runs in the top of the ninth inning, forcing Atlanta to bring in its closer to preserve the lead. But would the Friars have put up a five-spot if they weren't trailing 7-1 entering the ninth? But the Padres were trailing by that margin after surrendering six runs in the bottom of the eighth to break open a tie game. It is hard to tell which is the more unlikely situation, Atlanta's six-run outburst that started against one of the Padres' better relievers or the Friars making it a one-run game in the ninth after that explosion.

But the bottom line was a loss and the Padres are in a bottom-line situation when it comes to their immediate future and the trade deadline. They are 50-52 and, while just three games out of the final NL wild-card spot, the Padres would need to leap over five teams to get into postseason position. Atlanta's bottom of the eighth started with Peralta entering the game. He gave up three hits and a walk before right-hander Randy Vasquez, traditionally a starter but in the bullpen after just coming off the injured list, tried to clean things up. Peralta ended up being charged with four runs and Vasquez a pair. The Padres, showing some fight, had a one-out walk to Bogaerts, then the next four batters hit for the cycle: Cronenworth singled, Sheets doubled, Tatis tripled and Luis Rengifo homered. Atlanta closer Raisel Iglesias was tagged for Rengifo's blast, his first in six games as a Padre after not hitting one in 57 games as a member of the Milwaukee Brewers. But Iglesias struck out Machado and France to end it.

The Padres were in that position because of right-handed starter Michael King. Completing six strong innings after a shaky first, King struck out seven and walked four, giving up just one run on four hits. King issued walks to the first three batters before getting an RBI groundout and two punchouts to escape further damage. Merrill homered for the second game in a row and fourth time in four games, giving him 14 for the year.

Game 4: It is human nature to look at pitching matchups and say this is a game that the other team will win. Thursday's series finale was such an occasion with Atlanta ace left-hander Chris Sale on the mound. The 2024 NL Cy Young Award winner is having another banner season. So that is what makes Thursday's result frustrating for the Padres, who capitalized on an Atlanta miscue but then couldn't hold that advantage in a 6-5 loss. Freddy Fermin hit a flyball to shallow left field that left fielder Mauricio Dubon didn't charge immediately, letting it fall for a single and putting runners on first and second. A little rattled, Sale hit Cronenworth one out later, then walked Tatis on five pitches to force in a run. Rengifo made the gaffe hurt with a two-run single to right-center for a 3-0 Padres lead. Sale settled down and finished with 11 strikeouts.

Right-hander Griffin Canning, who came on in the second following left-hander Kyle Hart serving as an opener, gave one of those runs back in the bottom of the second on a Harris homer. Canning's struggles continued in the fourth and led to the Padres' downfall. Albies led off the inning with a homer, Harris singled with one out and Dubon reached on a catcher's interference. After a strikeout, Canning coughed up a three-run homer to Dominic Smith for a 5-3 edge. Atlanta added another run in the seventh before the Padres put up a pair in the eighth on France's 16th homer of the year. The Padres put up a threat in the ninth with Cronenworth and Tatis singling with two outs, but Iglesias redeemed himself for giving up a homer to Rengifo by striking him out to end the game. The Padres lost three of four in the series and dropped them three games below .500 for the first time since they were 2-5 on April 3.

Marlins series

Game 1: If there is one team somewhat responsible for not burying the Padres at this point of the season, it might be the Miami Marlins. The Marlins were 10 games above .500 and held the No. 3 NL wild-card spot after winning July 9. Since then, they had lost nine straight entering the series opener against the Friars. While the Padres can't bury the Marlins this weekend, they can get themselves out of having one foot in the grave. Rengifo hit the first pinch-hit homer of his career, a two-run shot in the top of the eighth inning as the Padres won the opener of a huge series 4-2. On a day where offense was hard to come by for the Padres, the biggest hit came from a player who was released by a first-place team a month ago and could be a key moment to the Friars saving their season.

Manager Craig Stammen patched together a pitching plan, similar to a postseason game, with right-hander German Marquez starting, yet going just 2⅓ innings, allowing a run. After striking out the leadoff hitter in the third, Hart went two scoreless, Peralta was stretched out to 1⅔ and allowed a run, Rodriguez got a pair of outs, Morejon went 1⅓ innings and Miller finished things off with a perfect ninth and his 26th save in as many chances. This could become more of the norm when certain pitchers are scheduled to start.

Machado had a pair of hits, including one in the fourth and then scored on a Merrill lineout to right-center to tie the game 1-1. In the fifth, Bogaerts walked, was bunted to second by Song, Cronenworth walked with two outs and Machado lined an RBI single to left to make it 2-1. Peralta gave up a homer in the bottom of the fifth as the Marlins tied it up again. France led off the eighth with a double, was pinch-run for by Jase Bowen and, after a strikeout, Rengifo pinch-hit for Luis Campusano. After taking a first-pitch slider for a strike, Rengifo got another slider down the middle and drove it over the right-field fence for his second homer in three games. It was also Rengifo's third straight game with two RBIs.

Game 2: Have the Padres finally figured out a formula to get some modest production out of their starting pitching? While the experiment is only a few games old, the planned short starts with a bulk guy following helped the Padres dispatch the Marlins 7-2, handing Miami its 11th straight loss. Sure, it is a good time to be facing the Marlins, but also executing this plan is the other part of the formula. In this case, it was Vasquez starting and going 2⅔, with Sears taking the next 3⅓. Each allowed just one hit, with Vasquez surrendering a run. It also helped that the offense tacked on five runs late, allowing Matsui and right-hander Matt Waldron to handle the final three innings of a win.

The offense wasn't facing a pushover. Marlins right-hander Eury Perez is the type of starter that would absolutely baffle the Padres in May and June. But the Friars got a pair of runs in the third as, following a double play, Cronenworth walked, Machado doubled him to third and France singled both home. The Marlins got one back in the bottom half, then the Padres got another off a tiring Perez in the seventh on a Merrill double (his first since June 23), a flyout that moved Merrill to third and a Sheets sacrifice fly. More runs were possible as Bogaerts and Fermin singled, but Tatis grounded out. More runs did come in the eighth, though, as Cronenworth walked, stole second and scored on France's third RBI of the day, a single to center. Merrill singled and Rengifo walked to load the bases. Bowen, just inserted the inning before for his defense, capitalized by lining a two-run single the opposite way to right, with Merrill (who doubled again) sliding in ahead of the throw for a 6-1 lead. After the Marlins made it 6-2 and had Miller stirring in the bullpen, Cronenworth got that run back when he singled home Tatis. Now, the Padres, a game away from .500 at 52-53, have a chance for a sweep, something that hasn't happened in July.

Game 3: The look on Marlins right-handed reliever Lake Bachar's face said it all. "What just happened?" The 2016 fifth-round draft choice of the Padres had just given up back-to-back homers to Machado and Merrill, blasts that could prove season-defining for the Friars. Machado's two-run blast tied it and Merrill's shot put the Padres up in the eighth inning, reversing a 3-1 deficit that resulted in a 5-3 victory and a well-deserved three-game sweep. This was the Friars' first sweep since taking three from Atlanta in late June. While it sent the Marlins to a franchise-record 12th consecutive setback, the Padres are now back at .500 at 53-53. That number itself isn't remarkable, but it came against a Marlins team that the Padres are battling for the third NL wild-card spot and may suddenly change the Friars into buyers instead of sellers as next Monday's trade deadline approaches. In fact, the Padres leapfrogged the Marlins in the wild-card standings and are now just two games behind the Arizona Diamondbacks, who hold that No. 3 spot. But there are three other teams between the Friars and D'backs.

After two days of a chaos pitching strategy, the Padres got a traditional start out of Buehler, who allowed three runs (two earned) and struck out seven over 5⅓ innings with four hits and two walks. The bullpen of Matsui, Peralta, Morejon and Miller locked it down from there, allowing just one hit and a walk with just three strikeouts. Miller is now 27-for-27 in saves, striking out one in a perfect ninth.

While Buehler and the bullpen deserve a chunk of credit, it was the big bat of Machado that made their effort pay off. Playing in his hometown, the superstar slugger now has 11 homers in his last 31 games, including eight in 18 road games. Machado, who had a fifth-inning RBI double, torched a four-seamer to center for his 23rd homer of the season and fourth in this crucial 10-game road trip that didn't start well but finished with a flourish. Merrill's go-ahead homer came three pitches later and was his 15th this year. Merrill had five multihit games during the road trip, including going 5-for-8 with three extra-base hits in the final two games. A day off following a long flight home is a nice reward, but the work this weekend in Miami won't make a difference if the Padres don't build on that momentum in the two-game series against the Colorado Rockies and four against the San Francisco Giants at Petco Park before the deadline.

Marvelous Mason Miller

Some of the amazing stats for the Padres' closer:

• Season stats: 2-1, 0.82 ERA, 42 games, 27 saves (27 chances), 43⅔ IP, 21 H, 6 R, 4 ER, 15 BB, 80 K, .141 opponent average
• Miller struck out three in an inning for the 12th time Tuesday, trailing only two starting pitchers, Milwaukee's Jacob Misiorowski (18) and Pittsburgh's Paul Skenes (15), for the most in MLB this year.
• Has finished 35 of the Padres' 53 victories this year and has not allowed a run in 37 of his 42 appearances.

Random Stats

• With his homer Monday, Manny Machado has reached 20 homers in all seven seasons since joining the Padres.
• Machado's two-homer game Tuesday was the 45th multihomer game of his career, the second-most among active players. Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees has 47.
• Machado has reached base in a season-best 17 consecutive games (.395, 30 times in 76 plate appearances).
• Luis Rengifo became the 10th player to start in the No. 2 spot in the batting order Wednesday, the second-most players used in that spot in MLB.
• The Atlanta series marked the sixth straight road series the Friars have lost and eighth in nine tries.
• Seven of Jackson Merrill's last 17 hits have been homers.

Transactions

• Monday: Placed DH Miguel Andujar on the 10-day injured list with a right wrist fracture.
• Monday: Recalled C Rodolfo Durán from Triple-A El Paso.
• Monday: Sent RHP Jeremiah Estrada on a rehab assignment to ACL Padres.
• Tuesday: Sent RHP Jeremiah Estrada on a rehab assignment to Triple-A El Paso.
• Thursday: Traded RHP Ron Marinaccio to Pittsburgh Pirates for international signing bonus money.

Website Highlights

• Sheets no longer a mystery the Padres must unlock — Randy Holt
• Padres sign all but one of their 21 draft choices — Steve Drumwright
• How Andujar's injury alters Padres' plan at the trade deadline — Randy Holt
• Cronenworth is becoming more impactful, but Padres require a balancing act — Randy Holt
• Padres' three biggest positional needs ahead of the trade deadline — Gottie Chavez
• Three Padres who will make or break San Diego's trade deadline direction — Randy Holt
• Merrill must counter pitchers' adjustment that has exploited his primary flaw at the plate — Yirsandy Rodriguez
• Padres prospect Alex McCoy credits goldfish mentality for his breakout — Steve Drumwright
• 3 underrated draft picks who could be quick risers in the Padres' system — Gottie Chavez
• Padres Mission podcast: Are the Padres buyers or sellers? — Randy Holt and Steve Drumwright

Looking Ahead

• Monday: Off
• Tuesday: Rockies at Padres (Michael King), 6:40 p.m.
• Wednesday: Rockies at Padres (TBA), 1:10 p.m.
• Thursday: Giants at Padres (German Marquez), 6:40 p.m.
• Friday: Giants at Padres (JP Sears or Randy Vasquez), 6:45 p.m.
• Saturday: Giants at Padres (Walker Buehler), 5:40 p.m.
• Sunday: Giants at Padres (Michael King), 1:10 p.m.

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