Padres Outlast Nationals 4-3 in 12th

WOW!!!! What a game!!! Great victory for the Pads tonight taking down the Nationals 4-3 in 12.  (Before you read any further I am giving fair warning that some adult language is used later in this article.)

Denorfia scores on Smith’s double in the 4th.

It started off like a typical close Padres game playing a tight game throughout the first six innings. Some bad news came in 2nd for the Pads, however, as Headley left the game with a calf strain (more on that later).  Both starters were sharp, with Stults allowing a run in the third that was set up by his own throwing error on a a pick off throw to first that had the runner picked, but instead put him on 3rd, later scoring on a sac fly. The Friars answered right away thanks to an RBI double by Smtih that scored Denorfia.

The Pads then got to Zimmerman in the 6th with Stults leading off with a double, Smith walking, and Grandal getting the clutch 2-out 2-run double to give the Pads a 3-1 lead. Stults gave up a HR on the bottom of the 6th to make it 3-2. No worries, Vincent was coming in having allowed only 1 hit in his last 24 batters faced. Boom, LaRoche tags him for a HR to tie it 3-3!

Then things got interesting. In the 9th Alonso appeared to steal 2nd to put the go ahead run in scoring position with no outs.  Gyorko got back in the batters box, Nats pitcher Soriano got back up on the mound…and THEN Matt WIlliams decided to go out and protest the call.  Buddy rightfully immediately went out and vehemently protested Willaims’s right to challenge arguing that he had waited too long.  Buddy had questionably been denied a protest earlier in the season on the same grounds, except in that case the pitcher was not yet on the mound…umpires discretion.  Seemed like bull shit at the time considering the rules state that the previous play is deemed over when the batter is in the box, and the pitcher is on the mound….except apparently when the umpire decides that the window to argue is shorter than that.  Ok.  So tonight, even by the written rules the previous play was over and Williams was still allowed to challenge…WHAT THE  F&%$?!?!?  It was ridiculous!!! The call was allowed to be reviewed, and was overturned.  Buddy argued throughout the inning, and again in between innings, but no matter how much he told Cory Blaser and Jim Joyce that they blew it, they would not kick him out…because they knew they screwed up.  Stay hot instant replay!!!  What bothers me most about it is that we end up having to report and talk about the shortcomings of IR instead of the actual baseball events of the game.  Ok….there’s my very abbreviated soap box moment on the issue.

But back to the game. Both bullpens battle for the next 3 innings with Stauffer getting the big-balls of the night award for pitching out of  bases loaded jam in the 9th, and stranding a lead off double in the 10th.  Each time he pitched aggressively using the inside part of the plate brilliantly to get strikes and set up the out pitches.  It was inspiring to watch!  Pitching with some big brass ones at its finest!

Things got even more interesting when Buddy sent Cashner out to left field to start the 11th!  It was the first time in Padres history that a pitcher had played a position in the field (other than pitcher of course).  Smith had strained his groin coming out of the batters box in his at bat the previous inning, and could’t go back out to the field for the 11th.  To keep Stauffer in the game to face right hand hitting Werth, Buddy needed someone to play left for the first batter of the inning, and sent Cashner out there knowing that Torres was coming in to face the next batter, and at that point he could double switch and get Medica out in left.  The roll of the dice worked perfectly with Stauff retiring Werth, and then the double switch bringing Torres into the game batting in the left fielders spot, and Medica into left field but batting in the pitchers spot due up sooner.  Torres retired LaRoche on K’s and Desmond on a ground out.  The only way it could have worked better is if Cashner had gotten a chance to rob a home run leaping over the fence….then the night would have been complete!

In the 12th Gyorko who had been 0-4 singled to right on the same slider he had swung and missed on the previous pitch.  He then stole second and reached third when the catcher threw the ball into center field.  WIth 2 outs, the senior member of the team, Nady, showed he still can get it done by singling up the middle to score Gyorko giving the Pads the 4-3 lead.

Street came in and on a normal night he would probably retire the side in order.  Not tonight.  First batter hits the ball off the end  to left field and Medica slips and falls while going for the ball and it lands safely for a led off double.  Unfazed by the set back Huston struck out the next batter, then gave up aline drive to the right of  Cabrera who was able to reach out and snare it, and then double off the runner at second for the final out….PHEW!!!!

The night’s scoresheet for the Padres finished as follows:

• Down one third baseman: Chase strained his left calf while leaving the box during his at bat in the second inning.  He will go to the DL, hopefully for only the 15 days.  At least it will give his ailing left knee and right biceps to heal.
• Down one outfielder: Smith strained his groin bad enough to not be able to go out to left field for the 11th, but it does not appear that he will need any DL time.
• Screwed: Padres on a challenge play that should never have been allowed. I would argue baseball fans in general as well for having to talk about these IR snafus, but that’s an article for another time.
• Gained one rookie: Jace Peterson is reported to be on his way to going the team to take Chase’s place to help out on the infield.
• Witnessed a first: Cashner playing left field.  First time that had happened in Padres history. He wanted a ball hit to him so bad, you could see it! Somehow I feel like he’ll get another chance at some point, don’t you?
• Passed one gut check: This was a big emotional win after taking the lead against the Nats top starter, losing it, and fighting back to take it back again.
• Notched anther hash mark in the win column:  That’s what it’s all about!

Great night of Padres baseball.  Hope you enjoyed it as much as I did!  Let’s do it again tomorrow…IN NINE!!!

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