Fernando Tatis Jr. crushed a solo home run in the top pf the third inning, which put the San Diego Padres ahead of the Chicago White Sox 3-0. The Padres did not know it at the time, but that swing by Tatis Jr. proved to be the difference in the game as San Diego beat Chicago 3-2 at Rate Field, Sunday.
The Padres almost gave the game away on a couple of occasions, but the White Sox were unwilling to take it. San Diego starter Michael King had an up-and-down
outing and was replaced on the mound in the bottom of the sixth inning by Adrian Morejon. The veteran reliever came in with the bases loaded and no outs and was being asked to prevent or at least limit the damage that appeared evident in the inning. Morejon appeared unfazed by the circumstances and responded by retiring all three batters he faced, two on strikeouts, to preserve the lead and, at the time, the shutout.
Mason Miller had the unfortunate opportunity to try to replicate Morejon’s success an inning earlier, in the bottom of the seventh inning. Kyle Hart started the frame in relief of Morejon. He allowed a double and a walk to the first two Chicago hitters and then recorded a strikeout. Hart allowed another walk to load the bases, prompting San Diego Manager Mike Shildt to bring in Miller.
The trade deadline acquisition was called on to get the Padres off the field without any damage, but he too had difficulty throwing strikes. Miller walked two of the four batters he faced, which resulted in two runs scored for the White Sox and made the score, 3-2.
Wandy Peralta threw a scoreless bottom of the eighth inning, but allowed a walk that was erased with a ground ball double play turned by Jake Cronenworth and Luis Arraez to Ryan O’Hearn to end the inning. Robert Suarez handled the ninth inning without issue, earning his 40th save of the season and securing a series win.
King worked around base traffic throughout his five-plus innings. He limited Chicago to four hits, but he allowed four walks and hit two batters. Hart and Miller each allowed two walks and Peralta allowed a walk.
The Padres broke a scoreless tie with two runs in the top of the second inning. Jackson Merrill and Gavin Sheets were at third and first base respectively. Merrill scored when a pickoff throw to first base went awry and rolled down the first base foul line, giving San Diego a 1-0 lead. Sheets advanced to second base.
Cronenworth hit a two-out broken-bat single back through the middle of the infield that allowed Sheets to score from second to give the Padres a 2-0 lead. Tatis Jr. led off the top of the third inning with his solo home run, which completed the scoring for San Diego, and put the Padres in front 3-0.
San Diego returns to Petco Park for the final home stand of the regular season, Monday. The Padres play the Milwaukee Brewers at 6:40 p.m.
