*Photo from the Ottumwa Courier*
With a team as talented as the San Diego Padres are, you can't take it easy. Luke Voit homered, Wil Myers drove in the winning run, and the Padres rallied past the Pittsburgh Pirates with a 4-3 victory on Friday night in San Diego.
Finding themselves trailing 3-0 as the game kept going, the Padres offense woke up and erupted, rattling off 4 unanswered runs to get the win to open the series. After losing two straight games, the Padres are still 7-3 in their last 10 games, sitting comfortably in second place in the NL West.
Padres manager Bob Melvin said that "We didn't do a whole lot there for five innings. It kind of felt like the last couple of games we were a little dormant offensively. But it just goes to show you, you stay with it, you get a couple guys on base, and one swing of the bat by a guy like Luke can really turn the game around."
The Pirates got on the board immediately, with Bryan Reynolds, the second batter of the game, hitting a solo home run to left field in the first inning, giving the Pirates a 1-0 lead. In the 4th inning, the Pirates tripled their lead, with Diego Castillo hitting a two run double to left field, scoring Ben Gamel and Josh VanMeter to make it 3-0 Pirates.
In the 6th inning, the Padres finally got on the board. Voit crushed a 3 run home run to left field, clearing the bases and tying the game 3-3 on his 3rd homer of the season. In the 9th inning, Myers came through with a single to center field, bringing in Manny Machado and giving the Padres a 4-3 lead a win.
Voit said of his game tying homer that "I’ve been grinding and needed to step up. We’ve been struggling with runners in scoring position. It felt good, especially after my first two at-bats. I was just getting too big and I just need to slow the game down sometimes. This game’s already hard enough."
Getting the start for the Padres was Sean Manaea, who turned in a solid game. Manaea lasted 7 innings, allowing 3 runs on 4 hits and 3 walks, striking out 5 hitters. Nabil Crismatt got the win in relief, improving to 3-0 on the season with a scoreless 8th inning. Taylor Rogers picked up his 17th save of the season in the 9th inning.
For the Pirates, Jose Quintana got the start, allowing two runs on 4 hits over 5 1/3 innings of work, getting a no decision. Wil Crowe got a blown save, allowing one run in 1 2/3 innings in relief. Duane Underwood Jr got hit with the loss, allowing the winning run in the 8th inning.
Quintana said of the game that "That was a great battle. It’s tough to get a loss like that, but we competed pretty good. We’re fighting a tough team, a great lineup. I think we showed something on the field. If we can play like that, we’re going to get a lot of W's."
Up next, the Padres and Pirates continue their series on Saturday night in San Diego. Melvin will send former Pirate Joe Musgrove to the mound, while JT Brubaker starts for the Pirates.
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