The San Diego Padres defeated the Milwaukee Brewers 4-3 in 11 innings on Wednesday at Petco Park, completing a three-game sweep according to reports from MLB.com and the Associated Press. Jackson Merrill drove in the tying run with an 11th-inning sacrifice fly, and Luis Campusano followed with a two-out single to bring home Sun-Mung Song for the walk-off victory. The surging Padres have won five consecutive games and 15 of their last 19 contests, climbing into the National League’s second wild-card spot ahead of Arizona and Philadelphia.
Late-Game Heroics and Extra-Innings Drama
According to Associated Press coverage, Gary Sánchez opened the 11th inning by doubling home the go-ahead run for Milwaukee off Padres reliever Adrian Morejon, who fell to 9-2 on the year. In the home half of the frame, Merrill tied the game with a sacrifice fly off Antonio Senzatela (9-4), scoring automatic runner Jake Cronenworth. Song, running as a pinch runner after Ty France was hit by a pitch, subsequently stole second base. Campusano then delivered an opposite-field single to right field. Milwaukee outfielder Luis Lara unleashed a high throw home, enabling Song to slide in headfirst with the winning run.
The victory capped a 5-1 homestand for San Diego, which managed to overcome a strong pitching performance from Milwaukee starter Dustin May. May pitched brilliantly into the eighth inning, yielding just one run and four hits while striking out six batters and walking two, according to game logs. His only major blemish was a solo home run surrendered to Xander Bogaerts in the third inning. Sánchez also accounted for Milwaukee earlier offense by homering to left field against Padres starter Robbie Ray in the second frame.
Gritty Eighth-Inning Rally Sparks San Diego
As detailed by MLB.com, the Padres forced extra innings with a gritty, two-out rally in the bottom of the eighth. Fernando Tatis Jr., utilized as a pinch-hitter after receiving the day off, drew a four-pitch walk. Luis Rengifo followed by grinding out a nine-pitch walk, bringing up Cronenworth against Brewers left-hander Aaron Ashby. Cronenworth also worked a nine-pitch plate appearance before bouncing a slow roller toward first baseman Jake Bauers.
Bauers flipped the ball to Ashby, who was a split-second late covering the bag, allowing Cronenworth to beat him there for an infield RBI single. Tatis raced all the way around from second base on the play, scoring without a throw to tie the game at 2-2. “Perfect guy to have on second there,” Cronenworth told MLB.com with a smile. Tatis added, “Just being aggressive. Obviously, that was going to be a close play at first… I saw the play was going to unfold at first base, and I just went for it.”
Bullpen Depth and Upcoming Schedule
Padres manager Stammen utilized a deep relief corps to navigate the tight contest. Following Ray’s four-inning grind, Bradgley Rodriguez, Jeremiah Estrada, and Kyle Hart bridged the middle frames before Morejon and Mason Miller locked down the late innings. Morejon bounced back from yielding the 11th-inning run by striking out the side and stranding the bases loaded.
Did you know? The Padres’ recent surge includes victories in 15 of their last 19 games, propelling them past both the Philadelphia Phillies and Arizona Diamondbacks into the National League’s second wild-card position.
Looking ahead to the next slate of games, the Brewers travel to Los Angeles to open a four-game series on Thursday, with left-hander Shane Drohan (6-4, 3.87 ERA) slated to start against Dodgers right-hander Roki Sasaki (5-5, 4.54 ERA), according to AP reports. Meanwhile, the Padres head to Cleveland to begin a three-game series on Friday, where right-hander Michael King (7-8, 3.37 ERA) will face Guardians right-hander Gavin Williams (11-6, 3.55 ERA).
Frequently Asked Questions
Who drove in the winning run for the Padres?
Luis Campusano hit a two-out single in the 11th inning to drive in Sun-Mung Song for the walk-off victory, according to game summaries from the Associated Press.
Which team was swept in the three-game series?
The MLB-leading Milwaukee Brewers were swept by the San Diego Padres at Petco Park.
What is the Padres’ recent record?
The surging Padres have won five games in a row and 15 of their last 19 matchups.
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