Jackson Merrill has 2 HRs, including tying shot, as the Padres hold off Pirates 9-8 in 10
PITTSBURGH — Jackson Merrill had two homers, Xander Bogaerts singled in the go-ahead run in a three-run 10th inning and the San Diego Padres held on for a 9-8 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday night.
Bogaerts led off the 10th with a line drive to left field off Colin Holderman (3-5), scoring automatic runner Luis Arraez. The Padres tacked on two runs on a sacrifice fly by Manny Machado and an error on catcher Yasmani Grandal.
The Padres needed those extra runs as the Pirates cut the lead with a bases-loaded walk by Tanner Scott (7-5) and wild pitch by Adrian Morejon. Morejon relieved with runners on second and third with none out and earned his first career save.
San Diego is 13-3 since the All-Star break and entered the night four games behind the first-place Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League West.
The Pirates have lost three in a row for the first time since May 7-10 as they fell under .500 at 56-57.
Merrill went 4 for 6 on the night with three RBIs, including a solo shot with one out in the ninth that tied the score at 6-all. That homer ended Pirates closer David Bednar’s string of 19 consecutive saves.
With the Pirates clinging to a one-run lead in the eighth inning and runners on second and third, Aroldis Chapman ended the threat by throwing a 104.7 mph called third strike to Machado.
Machado, Donovan Solano and Kyle Higashioka — who hit a three-run home run in the fourth — had two hits each for the Padres.
Andrew McCutchen had two hits, including a solo homer in the fourth, and three RBIs for the Pirates. Bryan Reynolds added two hits and two RBIs and Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Ke’Bryan Hayes had two hits apiece.
Padres starter Michael King gave up four runs — three earned — and struck out seven over five innings after skipping his previous start because of a sore left calf.
Pirates starter Marco Gonzales allowed five runs and eight hits in 4 2/3 innings.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Pirates: Oneil Cruz (illness) was out of the lineup for a second consecutive night but pinch hit in the sixth inning and remained in the game at shortstop.
Padres: LF Jurickson Profar left the game in the sixth inning shortly after getting hit just below his right knee by a pitch. He initially stayed in the game, but was removed for pinch runner Ha-Seong Kim. Kim did not start for a second straight game but stayed in the game at shortstop.
UP NEXT
The three-game series concludes Thursday afternoon with Padres RHP Randy Vasquez (3-6, 6.42 ERA) facing Pirates RHP Luis Ortiz (5-2, 2.31).
