The Padres opened a seven-game home stand Thursday with a 4-3 loss before a sellout crowd in the first of four games against the Milwaukee Brewers.
Manny Machado and Trent Grisham hit home runs for the Friars – the centerfielder’s two-out, two-run shot tied the game 3-3 in the bottom of the eighth. But it wasn’t enough as the Brewers played small ball in the bottom of the 10th and Rowdy Tellez hit a sacrifice fly to drive in Christian Yelich for the win.
Tellez also had hit a two-run homer off starter Nick Martinez for an early Milwaukee lead. Luis García took the loss.
“We felt like we were in pretty good position,” manager Bob Melvin said. “Obviously, it didn’t work out that way.”
Before the game, the Padres paid tribute to San Diego State’s men’s basketball team after its journey to the championship game at the NCAA Tournament. Head coach Brian Dutcher and Lamont Butler, whose shot propelled the Aztecs to the title game, each threw out the ceremonial first pitch.
The Padres returned to Petco Park after going 4-3 on the road, taking three of four games in Atlanta, but dropping two of three in New York. The series was the teams’ first meeting since the Padres unexpectedly eliminated the Mets to start last year’s post-season run.
Xander Bogaerts stayed hot on the trip – he came into Thursday’s game hitting .327 – while DH Nelson Cruz, a newcomer to San Diego, enjoyed a six-RBI day in Sunday’s 10-2 win over the Braves. He had a homer and a double and by the end of the trip was hitting .320.
Meanwhile, the Tatis watch intensifies. If all goes according to plan, there’s one more week to wait for the return of Fernando Tatis Jr., who hasn’t taken the field for a game at Petco since 2021. Injuries and a PED suspension derailed his 2022 season.
How ready is he? Tatis hit three homers and drove in eight, during Wednesday’s game for El Paso as part of his rehab stint, according to MLB.com.
For the remainder of the Brewers’ series, Michael Wacha, Seth Lugo and Yu Darvish are set to take the mound.