The Padres defeated the Cubs, 4-1, Wednesday night at Petco Park on the strength of a Gavin Sheets’ two-run, pinch-hit homer with two out in the fourth inning as the sold-out crowd of 47,513 chanted “Holy Sheets!”
The slogan has become a staple at Petco, blazing across the video board and blaring through the sound system to the beat of drums every time Sheets comes to the plate.
This time Sheets provided enough offensive support to hand it to the bullpen, which delivered nearly six innings of scoreless relief and wrapped up the best-of-three National League Wild Card series in the minimum of two games.
The Padres will open their NL Division Series against the Brewers on Saturday night in Milwaukee’s American Family Field.
“It’s one small step,” said new owner Jose E. Feliciano in the din of a beer and champagne shower in the Padres locker room, his wife Kwanza Jones by his side. “I’m not saying we’re going to win it all, but I would like us to win it all.
“And as [the late and former owner] Peter Seidler said, maybe someday the gods of baseball will smile on us, and we’ll bring a championship home and a parade. I believe!”
The couple, who were drenched, purchased the Padres at the end of August for a valuation of $3.9 billion and for them it couldn’t have come at a better time. He’s a European soccer and private equity owner. She’s a singer and songwriter. Their new team finished September on a 19-3 run, including the two playoff victories thus far. They need 11 more wins over the course of the next three series to capture a World Series.
The pair, brand new to Major League Baseball, are undaunted by a Padres past during which they lost the World Series twice, in 1984 and 1998. They are 1-7 in the Fall Classic, the only win coming in Game 2 of their 1984 loss to the Tigers in five games. They were swept by the Yankees in 1998.
It’s time to win, Feliciano said.
“Why not us?”
“Exactly,” Jones chimed in. “Baseball is not a solo sport and together is how it happens. Game after game after game you see how deep the bullpen is. You see what’s able to be done.”
“I believe we’re the toughest team to play right now in the sport,” Feliciano added.
“Would you want to play us?” Jones said.
The Cubs can answer that question. The team that scored a Major League Baseball-leading 850 runs during the regular season was outscored 12-1 in the two games. They had eight hits in the series and only one for extra bases, a Nico Hoerner one-out double in the ninth inning off flame-throwing closer Mason Miller that went for naught. Hoerner was stranded on second as Miller recorded the final two outs and Padres fans went bonkers.
Lead-off hitter Pete Crow-Armstrong, the presumptive MVP in the NL, was 0-for-7 with a walk in the series, striking out four times. He left a sour impression after grousing with third base umpire Bill Miller during Tuesday night’s Game 1 defeat after Miller rung him up twice on check swings.
Alex Bregman, hitting behind him, went 0-for-8 with four whiffs himself. But Bregman, at least, had an excuse: He was hit in the face by a foul ball last week and suffered eight facial fractures and a swollen left eye.
Bregman wouldn’t make any excuses for his team’s play.
“We weren’t very good,” Bregman said. “We need to get better in all areas.”
The Padres dominated in all areas. They had four homers in the two games from Sheets, Fernando Tatis, Manny Machado and Xander Bogaerts. Their starting pitchers – Michael King and Nick Pivetta – allowed one run on four hits while striking out 12 and walking five in 10 1/3 innings.
The bullpen was flawless, allowing no runs on four hits in 7 2/3 innings.
When Pivetta began to look shaky in the fourth inning of Game 2, allowing a run to score on a walk and two singles, manager Craig Stammen immediately went out to get him. It was only Pivetta’s fifth start since returning from a right elbow injury that kept him out nearly five months. Bradgley Rodriguez pitched out of the inning, keeping the Padres’ lead at 2-1.
The Padres are clicking on all cylinders.
“It’s a special group this year because it’s a group that can win a championship,” said Erik Greupner, the club president who carried over from the Seidler regime. “The group is confident. We’re hot and healthy and we’ve got to keep doing it for another month.”
Asked how the new owners are enjoying it all, Greupner added:
“I think they’re loving it. They bought at the right time and all they’ve had to do so far is celebrate.”
Timing, of course, is everything, and as Feliciano said, “It’s on to Milwaukee,” where he.hopes the good times will continue.
