SAN DIEGO– The month of May wasn’t kind to the Padres offense. On the first day of June, they staged a seventh inning comeback that was reminiscent of who they say they are as a team.
Down 4-2 to the Pittsburgh Pirates in the seventh inning and looking to avoid what could only be considered a massively disappointing homestand, the Friars sent 10 men to the plate, scoring four runs on three hits and three walks, capped by RBI singles by Elías Díaz, Luís Arráez and Tyler Wade, en route to an eventual 6-4 win. Robert Suarez pitched a perfect ninth inning, striking out two, for his 19th save of the season.
“It’s what we are looking to do consistently,” said manager Mike Shildt. “It’s easier said than done but the quality of at-bats in the seventh were unbelievable.”
Shildt acknowledged the comeback was important for a scuffling Padres offense that is still searching for its’ way.
“It’s important to us because we know who we are and we know that we’ve been able to demonstrate that for some quality of period of time and we also recognize that doesn’t work out and so we’ve got to figure a way to be better when it doesn’t work out. We’ve got to figure it out and like I said, winners find solutions.”
That solution might very well start on who’s playing left field on Monday in San Francisco, a riddle that’s been nearly impossible for the Padres to figure out since they started the season with Jason Heyward and Brandon Lockridge platooning in that role.
The Padres may be without Gavin Sheets, who exited the game in the fourth inning after slamming into the padded outfield wall on Adam Frazier’s home run. Shildt says that Sheets, who leads the Padres with 34 RBI and is second to Fernando Tatís on the team with 11 home runs, suffered a “trio” of injuries and is being evaluated for a possible concussion.
“Sheetsy’s a little banged up,” Shildt said. “Head contusion, coupled with a sore hip and a little bit of a jammed wrist and thumb. So he’s got a little bit of a trifecta working. We’re in the process of evaluating. But he already, within the last couple hours, has improved.”
Sheets’ value cannot be understated to the Padres. He led the team in May with eight home runs and had eight multi-hit games to go along with 13 RBI and 22 runs scored.
“It sucks, he’s definitely been a big impact for us and I know he’s a trooper and a gamer,” said third baseman Manny Machado. “Hopefully it was nothing serious.”
Machado, who hit his 349th career home run in the first inning, was encouraged by the way the Padres found a way to win.
“We’ve got to do it from the first inning, that’s when we’re at our best,” Machado said. “But it’s definitely a good starting point. That’s what this team’s made of. Everyone through that lineup can do that. It kind of looks like our old selves, we just got to continue doing that, continue growing… You know it’s been a rough couple of weeks, a rough couple months but this team grinded out and we keep continuing to grind. Every day is a grind. Nothing’s easy.”
And it won’t get any easier as the Padres embark on a crucial and tough June schedule, starting with four games at the San Francisco Giants then the sizzling hot Milwaukee Brewers, winners of seven straight.
Asked about the challenge of playing 14 of their next 17 games against some of the better teams in baseball, including the Giants, Brewers, Dodgers and Diamondbacks, Fernando Tatís said the Padres just need to be themselves.
“Bringing the same energy, trying to play our best game every single day.”
Notable: Mike Shildt says Stephen Kolek will start on Monday versus the Giants with TBD and TBD for Tuesday and Wednesday…Michael King will not accompany the Padres on the road trip and he stays behind in San Diego to rehab his pinched nerve and meet with specialists…
Notable: Mike Shildt says Stephen Kolek will start Monday versus the Giants with TBD for Tuesday and Wednesday…Wandy Peralta, David Morgan, Jason Adam, Adrian Morejón and Robert Suarez combined for 5.2 scoreless innings, allowing only one hit in relief of starter Randy Vasquez…Michael King won’t accompany the team on the current road trip as he stays behind to rehab and meet with specialists for his pinched nerves.