SAN DIEGO — Jackson Merrill made a hovering catch over the center-field fence to rob Julio Rodriguez of a house run, however he saved his greatest for final.
Merrill hit a walk-off two-run double to cap San Diego’s five-run ninth inning and the San Diego Padres beat the Seattle Mariners 7-6 on Wednesday evening for their seventh win in a row.
The Padres, who’ve gained 10 of their final 11 video games, have three walk-off wins throughout their present profitable streak.
“We try to tell the guys every day, it’s not ‘if’ we’re going to win, but it’s ‘who’s going to be the hero?'” Padres supervisor Craig Stammen stated. “Tonight, it was Jackson.”
It was the Padres’ first win after coming into the ninth inning trailing by four-plus runs since June 14, 2019.
“That is what a good team does,” Merrill stated. “They don’t give up until the very last out.”
Mariners reliever Andres Munoz (2-2) got here on to start out the ninth and loaded the bases earlier than Fernando Tatis Jr. hit a pinch-hit sacrifice fly. Luis Campusano and Ramon Laureano adopted with two-out RBI singles that made it 6-5.
Jose A. Ferrer changed Muñoz and, 5 pitches later, Merrill hit a line drive to left discipline that ended it.
“I just kind of threw the barrel at it and prayed,” Merrill stated.
In the third inning, Rodriguez hit a deep fly to heart, however Merrill timed his leap completely and stretched his glove simply far sufficient to make the highlight-reel catch and erase what would have been a two-run residence run.
“One hundred percent, that’s the best catch I’ve ever made,” Merrill stated.
Added Stammen: “Play of the game. That kept us in it.”
Alek Jacob (1-0) got here on to start out the eighth and pitched two scoreless innings for his second profession win. Starter Randy Vasquez gave up 4 runs and 5 hits in 4 innings. He walked 4 and had six strikeouts.
Xander Bogaerts hit a two-run homer within the sixth. The 33-year-old shortstop has 200 profession residence runs, 45 in his three-plus seasons with the Padres.
Bogaerts, Laureano, Merrill and Gavin Sheets had two hits apiece.
Luke Raley hit a two-run residence run, doubled and completed with a career-high 4 hits for the Mariners.
Seattle starter Emerson Hancock allowed two runs and had six strikeouts in six innings.
Dominic Canzone and Brendan Donovan every drove in two runs for the Mariners.
Randy Arozarena singled and stole second base earlier than Raley’s two-run shot made it 6-0 within the fifth.
Arozarena, who additionally doubled, scored 3 times.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
