SAN DIEGO – Down but not out, the Padres delivered a statement Saturday night, the kind of off-site rally they believe could change the shape of their season.
With his team dragged down by two runs with two outings at the bottom of the ninth inning, Padres playing field Jake Cronenworth threw a blast of play into the beach area of right field in downtown Petco Park. One entry later, San Diego retired when Phillies reliever Connor Brogdon skipped a wild throw, allowing Adam Frazier to score the winning run in a 4-3 wild win over San Diego in 10 innings. .
Through all their recent struggles, the Fathers have insisted that a big swing would change the tide. This one definitely qualifies.
“This situation is something you always think about, two exits at the end of the ninth, trying to tie the game or win the game,” Cronenworth said. “I’m glad I hit him over the fence.”
It was an impressive change, considering how it had spent the rest of the night, and really considering how it has gone this whole month for fallen parents. They had lost four in a row and eight again, falling in a draw with Cincinnati for second place in the National League Wild League.
Phillies starter Aaron Nola, brother of Padres receiver Austin Nola, brought a perfect game to the seventh inning. Brad Miller’s first base error and Manny Machado’s simple RBI ended with the perfect and the no in a quick succession. But Philadelphia won two runs in the eighth, when two separate first-aid kicks sank the Phillies ’hitters with loaded bases.
“Everything has been tough to the end,” said Jayce Tingler, Parent Manager. “Nothing has been easy. The way the guys kept fighting … for us to be in the lead and keep fighting, I’m very proud of the group. “
Fernando Tatis Jr. he engaged in a game in the ninth inning, which allowed Cronenworth to reach the beach in a draw as his parents ’last hope. He got a 3-1 score against Nola, and in the 117th right-footed throw of the evening, Nola made his first glaring mistake.
Cronenworth made him pay, triggering that sweet left swing in a two 92 mph seamstress that was put in the center. He sent the ball soaring 410 feet, past the center-right fence, the deepest part of the stadium. Phillies center fielder Travis Jankowksi fell over the wall (something familiar to the former father), but was unable to reach baseball.
Normally reserved, Cronenworth exploded as he rounded the bases. The rest of Petco Park did the same.
“I knew I got it really good,” Cronenworth said. “And I know it’s very difficult to do one on the beach. I just hoped Jankowski didn’t catch him, because he made an incredible effort. “
Of course, there was still work to be done, and Mark Melancon did the weight. He had pitched a fast, unscored top of the ninth inning, with Tingler simply looking to get closer to work after throwing just one inning in the last ten days.
Suddenly, Melancon was asked for a second frame on Saturday night, this serious leverage. He stopped the Phillies ’automatic runner by destroying Andrew McCutchen, setting the stage for Frazier to score the game’s winning run.
“To be on the winning side tonight, you can definitely skip something,” Tingler said.
Now, for the tricky part: make it count.
The Padres endured a similar roller coaster ride in June, when they returned home from an abysmal stretch, crowned by a three-game sweep in Colorado. That night, Victor Caratini’s running back beat the Reds and caused a sweep of four games for Cincinnati and one for three games for the Dodgers.
Parents could desperately use a career like this right now. After leading the Reds by 6 1/2 games in the Wild Card race less than a month ago, they have seen it evaporate. Your schedule just gets harder from here on out. The Fathers needed a spark, and maybe that was all.
Think of it this way: there’s a world where local Cronenworth Day is a time to remember where you are, one of the biggest home goals in Padres history, a springboard for the postseason race of 2021. Of course, there is also the possibility that the Cronenworth explosion will become a mere footnote to the continued demise of the second half of San Diego.
“We don’t want to get ahead of ourselves,” Tingler said. “But, yes, it can definitely get us started. Now we have to rest a bit tonight, come back and be ready to go tomorrow ”.