Merrill’s late HR not enough as Padres fall to Giants, 3-2
Fernando Ramirez
Host · Writer
SAN DIEGO — Jackson Merrill tried to will his team to victory on Monday night, launching a two-run home run in the bottom of the ninth inning.
It was too little, too late, as the San Francisco Giants carried a 3-0 lead into the final frame and held on for a 3-2 victory despite Merrill’s late heroics.
Outside of Merrill’s home run, the Padres managed just two hits over the first eight innings, continuing their early-season offensive struggles. The loss drops San Diego to 1-3 on the season tied with the Giants.
It was a rough debut for Padres pitcher Walker Buehler, still an odd sentence to write, who went four innings, allowing five hits, three runs, and one home run while striking out three.
Meanwhile, Giants pitcher Landen Roupp dominated, tossing six innings of two-hit baseball while striking out seven.
Entering Monday’s matchup, the Giants had scored just one run in 27 innings against the New York Yankees, but they found enough offense early against San Diego.
Buehler was sharp through the first two innings, retiring all six batters he faced. However, things unraveled in the third.
On his fourth pitch of the inning, Harrison Bader crushed a knuckle-curve 408 feet to left-center field for the Giants’ first home run of the season. Buehler managed to limit further damage in the inning.
The fourth inning proved more costly. Matt Chapman led off with a single and moved to second after Jung Hoo Lee drew a walk. Patrick Bailey followed by ripping a changeup into left field, scoring Chapman to make it 2-0.
The next batter, San Diego native Casey Schmitt, added another RBI single to left, bringing home Lee and extending the lead to 3-0.
Right now, the Padres are struggling to find their identity. Through four games, they have just 23 hits and nine runs. After facing a strong Detroit pitching staff, they followed it up with another underwhelming performance against Roupp.
San Diego has been outscored 16-9 to start the season, and frustration was evident at Petco Park, with fans heading for the exits as early as the seventh inning.
The Padres will look to bounce back Tuesday night when Germán Márquez faces Logan Webb at 6:40 p.m. PT.
