Jackson Merrill can’t stop coming up clutch, as he boosted the Padres to a seventh straight win, 9-8 over the Marlins.
The rookie tied up the game Friday with a home run in the ninth, giving his team the chance to win in the 10th, and he did it again Saturday, this time with a two-run blast in the eighth.
The Friars took the lead quicker in their latest win, on a Luis Arraez single to top off a three-run eighth. But Jake Burger homered in Florida’s half of the frame to knot it up again at 8-8.
The Padres earlier had seen a 3-1 advantage turn into a 7-3 deficit after the Marlins sent six men across the plate in the fifth, chasing starter Matt Waldron from the game.
But they began their comeback in the seventh, loading the bases on three singles, by David Peralta, Ha-Seong Kim and Kyle Higashioka. Two ground outs brought Peralta and Kim home to make it 7-5.
Merrill worked his magic the next inning, following a walk to Xander Bogaerts. On a 1-1 count, he drove the ball out to right center, tying the game 7-7. Peralta followed with a double – the Marlins unsuccessfully challenged the play at second – and the Padres sent in Bryce Johnson as a pinch runner.
Kim bunted him to third, but Higashioka struck out, leaving it up to Arraez, acquired from the Marlins in May. He sent a ground ball up the middle to second baseman Otto Lopez, who double clutched and bounced his throw to first. Arraez beat it out and Johnson scored.
The two-time batting champ again figured into the action as the Friars completed the comeback in the 10th. After a walk to Kim, Higashioka’s sacrifice sent Tyler Wade to third and Kim to second. Arraez hit a grounder right at first baseman Jonah Bride, but he elected to tag Arraez rather than throwing home, allowing Wade to score for the 9-8 lead.
The Padres made no such mistake in the bottom of the inning as Florida’s Xavier Edwards, with two on and one out, sent a grounder to Manny Machado. The defensive wiz fired the ball to Higashioka to cut down Vidal Brujan. Tanner Scott, another former Marlin, struck out Burger to close out the win.
“It’s a privilege to manage games like that … it’s what it’s all about, ultimately,” manager Mike Shildt said.
The Padres have scored six runs or more in each of the wins during their recent streak, but they’ve been hot since returning from the All-Star Break, winning 16 of 19.
They’ve not only taken over the lead in the wild-card race, but also started putting pressure on the division-leading Dodgers. They trail L.A. by two games with the Dodgers hosting the Pirates late Saturday.
Dylan Cease heads to the mound Sunday as they try for their second consecutive series sweep. They return home Monday to face Pittsburgh. Another thing to look forward to on the home stand? The possible return of Joe Musgrove.
Note: Photo credit, inset, Jackson Merrill rounds the bases on his game-tying home run, @Padres via X
