San Diego Padres starting pitcher Ryan Bergert was hit by a line drive off the bat of Washington Nationals left fielder Jacob Young. The play knocked Bergert out of the game and forced the San Diego bullpen into action.
Adrian Morejon, Jason Adam, Jeremiah Estarda and Robert Suarez combined to pitch six scoreless innings to help San Diego take the second game of the series from Washington, 4-3 at Petco Park, Tuesday.
The Nationals were leading 2-0 at the time Bergert was forced off the mound and finished the top of the fourth leading 3-0. The Padres quickly cut into that lead in the bottom of the fourth inning, scoring two runs to make the score, 3-2.
Xander Bogaerts opened the scoring for San Diego with an RBI-groundout to score Luis Arraez from third base to make the score, 3-1. The Padres got their second run of the inning when Jake Cronenworth lined a double off the wall of the Petco Porch in right field to score Gavin Sheets to make the score, 3-2.
A leadoff home run by Martin Maldonado in the bottom of the fifth inning made the score, 3-3. The home run traveled 400 feet to left-center field and brought the Friar Faithful to their feet.
The hero from the Sunday’s win over the Kansas City Royals, Jose Iglesias, came through again for San Diego in the bottom of the sixth inning. He recorded an RBI-groundout with the bases loaded that allowed Sheets to score to put the Padres ahead, 4-3 to end the scoring in the game.
Suarez completed the scoreless night for the San Diego bullpen with a scoreless bottom of the ninth inning. Suarez retired Young on a fly out to center field. He got C.J. Abrams to ground out to shortstop. Suarez punctuated the win with a strikeout of James Wood to earn his 22 save of the season.
The Padres play the Nationals in their final game of the series, Wednesday at 1:10 p.m.