Late offense lifts Padres to series win over Giants
Brady Charette
Host · Writer
SAN FRANCISCO — Ty France delivered a clutch two-out, two-run pinch-hit triple in the seventh inning to give San Diego a lead as the Padres secured a series victory with a 5-1 win over the San Francisco Giants on Wednesday afternoon.
To counter first-year manager Tony Vitello’s decision to bring in left-hander Matt Gage with runners on second and third and two outs, Craig Stammen, also in his first year as a Major League manager, turned to France in the game’s biggest moment in a unique way. The veteran first baseman had been taking swings in the batting cages just moments prior to making his way to the batter's box in an 0-1 count due to a pitch clock-violation. Despite the early hole, the move to insert France paid off.
With the count full, France lifted a fly ball down the right field line to Jesus Rodriguez, a 24-year-old rookie catcher who was making his outfield debut. Rodriguez made a diving attempt but the ball kicked off his gloves and allowed Fernando Tatis Jr. and Ramon Laureano to score the go-ahead runs.
“It was a whirlwind, but it all worked out,” France told MLB.com's AJ Cassavell. “You just treat it like another at-bat.”
Xander Bogaerts would double the lead an inning later with a towering blast in the left field corner for his team-leading seventh homer of the season.
San Francisco, who have lost eight of the last nine games and sit in the basement of the NL West at 14-23, struggled offensively –- collecting just three hits and striking out 13 times.
The Giants offense failed to put good at bats together in the final game of the three-game set due to Matt Waldron's best performance of the season. The 29-year-old entered the game in the second inning and threw five innings, allowing one run on a Rafael Devers opposite-field solo shot in the fifth inning.
The home run marked the first for Devers since April 8 and snapped a 23-game homer-less streak.
Mason Miller continued his historically dominant season with a 1-2-3 ninth inning featuring two strikeouts to slam the door on San Francisco. He now owns a 1.04 ERA and 0.54 WHIP in 17.1 innings while striking out more than 65% of hitters he's retired this season.
San Diego has won three out of their last four after dropping four straight and sit 0.5 games back of the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West at 22-14.
The Padres will travel back home to Petco Park and kick off a four-game series with the St. Louis Cardinals beginning on Thursday. Right-hander Michael King (3-2, 2.95 ERA) gets the ball for San Diego while LHP Matthew Liberatore (1-1, 4.50 ERA) takes the hill for St. Louis.
First pitch set for 7:10 p.m.
