Early in the 2024 season the Padres have shown a special ability to come back from big deficits late in games. Alas, they don't own the monopoly on that skill and sometimes it's going to bite them in the backside, too.
Staked to a 9-4 lead, the Friars bullpen gave up six runs in the 8th inning in a 10-9 loss that gave the very bad Rockies a series split. Let's get this out of the way right now, while it stinks to lose like that, the Padres have never fared well at Coors Field so even in this situation a series split is perfectly acceptable since IT'S APRIL 25.
The Friars built their lead with some bop. Ha-Seong Kim and Jurickson Profar each hit 2-run homers and every member of the starting lineup got at least one hit (six of them drove in a run). When Eguy Rosario singled home Tyler Wade to make it 9-4 in the 8th inning it looked like a series win was almost inevitable. However, we've said it before and we'll say it again:
At Coors Field no lead is safe.
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Yuki Matsui got the first out then allowed a double and a walk so he was replaced by fellow lefty Wandy Peralta, who couldn't seem to get anything to go his way. Hunter Goodman launched his 3rd pitch of the day into the left field seats for a 3-run homer to cut the lead to 9-7. The Rockies followed with a single, a walk, and an RBI single from Brenton Doyle that cut the lead to one.
At that point the whole batter malfunctioned. Catcher Luis Campusano simply missed a pitch on the outside corner. Ezequiel Tovar scored on the passed ball and the game was tied 9-9. Peralta finally got an out with a strikeout of Ryan McMahon and was replaced by Stephen Kolek ... who coughed up a double to Elias Diaz that brought home Doyle with the winning run.
Yes, this kind of loss hurts. No, it is not a devastating setback that will have a lingering impact on San Diego's season. What's important is turning the page to Friday because a pretty good club is awaiting the Friars at Petco Park. The Phillies are in town for a weekend set and it starts with a solid pitching matchup when Joe Musgrove takes the mound against Aaron Nola.
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