In a scorching September evening at Rate Field, the San Diego Padres came out on top with a 7-3 victory over the Chicago White Sox. The win improved the Padres’ record to 83-71, maintaining their position as 2nd in the NL West. Meanwhile, the White Sox dropped to 58-96, holding firm at the bottom of the AL Central.
With the temperature at 100 degrees, the clear skies and a slight breeze out to right field set the stage for the evening’s battle. The game commenced at 6:37 PM, with Phil Cuzzi calling balls and strikes from behind the plate. Despite the heat, the contest wrapped up in just over two hours, clocking in at 2 hours and 8 minutes.
Padres Surge Ahead
Although the White Sox struck first with a run in the opening inning, the Padres responded in the second to tie it up. A massive four-run inning in the sixth gave San Diego a commanding lead. The Padres continued to pad their advantage with additional runs in both the eighth and ninth innings.
Fernando Tatis Jr. was quick on his feet, scoring twice despite only collecting one hit in his five at-bats. Jake Cronenworth, although hitless, kept the plate appearances interesting by drawing a walk and striking out thrice.
Ryan O’Hearn was a standout for the Padres, driving in three runs on three hits and notching a double in the process. On the other hand, Jackson Merrill impressed with two hits, three runs scored, and a home run that contributed to his RBI tally.
White Sox Struggles Continue
Despite Chris Meidroth’s early run, the White Sox could only muster three runs in total. Luis Sosa provided a glimmer of hope with a solo home run, which marked one of the few highlights for the home team. Kevin Teel and Michael Vargas each contributed with doubles, although the offense as a whole struggled to find consistency.
Yoendrys Gómez started on the mound for the White Sox, pitching 5.33 innings but allowing three runs and taking the loss. His counterpart, Adrian Morejon, earned the win for the Padres with a solid relief outing, further lowering his ERA to 2.11.
Padres Bullpen Shines
Yu Darvish began the game for the Padres and delivered 4.67 innings, conceding two runs and striking out four. Morejon took over from Darvish and stifled the White Sox offense with 1.33 innings of scoreless baseball.
San Diego’s bullpen maintained their composure, with Junior Estrada and Mason Miller combining for two more scoreless innings. Robert Suarez surrendered a run in the final frame but still managed to secure the victory for the Padres.
White Sox relievers struggled to contain the Padres’ bats, as Franklin Ellard allowed two runs in just a third of an inning. This paved the way for San Diego’s pivotal sixth inning that effectively sealed the game.
Following this victory, the Padres are set to meet the White Sox again on Sunday at Rate Field. With a playoff spot within reach, San Diego will look to continue their winning ways.
Meanwhile, the White Sox, whose playoff hopes have long since vanished, will aim to gather momentum for next season. Fans can expect Chicago to put up a spirited fight as they look to salvage some pride in the final games of this challenging season.
