Padres bounce back with strong start from Yu Darvish
Jun 20, 2022; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres relief pitcher Taylor Rogers (left) celebrates with third baseman Ha-Seong Kim (right) after defeating the Arizona Diamondbacks at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports
The San Diego Padres arrived back in America’s Finest City with the pressure on. Manny Machado left Sunday’s game with an ankle injury, although the team has yet to place him on the IL and has him listed as “day-to-day.”
The Padres entered Monday with Yu Darvish on the mound, and he didn’t disappoint. Facing former Padres starter Zach Davies, Darvish hurled seven brilliant innings, giving up just one run on four hits and striking out five Arizona Diamondbacks hitters on the night as the Padres cruised to a 4-1 victory.
After the game, Ryan Flaherty raved about Darvish with a perfect statement: “It’s the definition of an ace.”
After the Diamondbacks scored a run in the top of the first, Jake Cronenworth brought the Crone Zone back with a solo shot to right field and breathed life into Petco Park.
Back home and in The Crone Zone 🌀
Vote Cronenworth ⭐️ https://t.co/gyd80CVeWT pic.twitter.com/s77SMHpyFm
— San Diego Padres (@Padres) June 21, 2022
Ha-Seong Kim drove in a pair in the second inning, and he talked about that at-bat after the game through his translator.
“I was ready for the moment and I was focused…I knew he had a good changeup and I was ready for it.”
Trent Grisham plated the fourth and final Padres run of the game with a monster 426-foot home run right into the Padres bullpen.
Grish got a hold of that one 🚀 #TimeToShine pic.twitter.com/aXpg5SDJMt
— San Diego Padres (@Padres) June 21, 2022
With the absence of Machado, it is imperative that some of the other Padres hitters step up, and Cronenworth, Kim, and Grisham did just that one Monday evening.
Darvish ended the outing with 104 pitches, and the Padres needed a strong start more than ever after an ugly three games at Coors Field.
On the other side of the rubber, Davies threw six innings, giving up four runs on four hits and striking out three batters, but the four runs were more than enough for San Diego.
Taylor Rogers did his usual business for the Padres, tossing a scoreless ninth inning with two strikeouts to earn his MLB-leading 21st save of the year.
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After three straight losses in Denver and the bad news regarding Machado, the Padres could have easily come into Monday’s game flat and out of energy. But, thanks to a brilliant start by Darvish and some timely hitting, the Padres keep within striking distance of the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League West.
The Padres and Diamondbacks will battle in Game 2 of the series on Tuesday night at 6:40 PST. Sean Manaea (3-3, 3.95 ERA) will take the mound for the Friars against Zac Gallen (4-2, 2.91 ERA).
Matthew Wadleigh, born in Oceanside and currently lives in Fresno. He lives with his wife and 2 dogs and is a sports enthusiast. Retired drummer and member of the Fresno State Marching Band. He has been a Padres fan since childhood and has suffered during the struggles just like everybody else.
Yu’s start had me thinking we were going to struggle with a bullpen game after his 33 pitch inning one. Thank goodness he settled in and gave us the typical Darvish start we’ve come to expect.
I was thinking we would need to go small ball with Machado sidelined. Kim trying to steal in the seventh supported that. I can see us running a bit more with Machado out. Abrams in the lineup with Kim, Profar, and Grisham gives the Pads a faster look. It’s not a bad thing to steal a few bags and teach everyone that bunting well shouldn’t be a lost art. Maybe Grisham can give his teammates a workshop.