Saturday night the old adage that pitching and defense win championships was proven true. Over a span of six outs the Marlins played amazing defense while the Padres kicked the ball around like it was the first day of Spring Training.
Miami beat San Diego 6-2 in 11 innings at Petco Park and it was in extra innings where that defense came in to play. In the bottom of the 10th the Padres had runners at 1st and 2nd with one out. Manuel Margot hit a grounder towards left field but 3rd baseman Martin Prado made a diving stop and got an out at 2nd base.
The next hitter was Erick Aybar, who thought he had a walk-off single but Prado made an unreal diving stab of a screaming line drive to end the inning. In the top of the 11th the Padres defense was not quite as good, and that’s the kindest possible way of saying it.
Justin Bour led off with a single. Marlins infielder Dee Gordon followed with a dribbler up the 1st base line. Padres lefty Jose Torres fielded it but his throw went wild and up the right field line. Then the ball rolled right by rookie right fielder Hunter Renfroe and all the way to the wall, allowing Gordon to run around and score to give the Marlins a 4-2 lead.
Miami got another pair of runs when Giancarlo Stanton smoked his second home run of the game, a missile to left field to put the Marlins on top 6-2.
The only runs the Padres got in regulation came on a 2-run home run by catcher Austin Hedges, who went deep for the 3rd straight game. Hedges also drove in the Padres final run with a groundout in the bottom of the 11th.
Padres starter Jered Weaver made his first start at Petco Park for his new team and, aside from two pitches, threw pretty well. Weaver went 6.0 innings and allowed only four hits but two of them left the yard. Stanton and Prado both hit solo shots off the right-hander who is still looking for his first Padres win.
The Padres can win the series on Sunday behind Luis Perdomo, who will come off the disabled list to take the mound against Marlins right-hander Tom Koehler.
