Cronenworth’s bases-loaded walk lifts the Padres to a 2-1 win over the Marlins
By BERNIE WILSON
AP Sports Writer
SAN DIEGO (AP) — Jake Cronenworth drew a bases-loaded walk with two outs in the seventh, one batter after shortstop Tim Anderson committed his second error of the inning, and the San Diego Padres beat the Miami Marlins 2-1 on Monday.
It was the Padres’ second consecutive home win after losing five straight games at Petco Park.
It was the second day in a row the Padres put together a small-ball rally. They beat the New York Yankees 5-2 on Sunday to avoid being swept in consecutive home series.
“When you get those chances, especially late in the game, those are opportunities that you take advantage of,” Cronenworth said. “The last two days we’ve done a great job with that.”
After failing to score with the bases loaded and one out in the sixth, the Padres came through in the seventh for the go-ahead run.
Ha-Seong Kim hit a leadoff single and Fernando Tatis Jr. reached on Anderson’s fielding error with one out. Jurickson Profar flied out and Anthony Bender replaced A.J. Puk (0-6) on the mound. Manny Machado grounded to Anderson, who went for an inning-ending force out at second base but bobbled the ball for another error. Cronenworth then worked a seven-pitch walk to bring in Kim.
“That guy has a ton of movement on his fastball and his sweeper, so just get something in the heart of the zone and try to go after it,” Cronenworth said.
Cronenworth clenched his right fist and hollered after drawing the walk.
“Well-earned, well-timed, big spot, knowing who’s coming in out of the bullpen,” he said. “We have an opportunity to win the game with those guys coming in.”
Robert Suarez pitched a perfect ninth for his 16th save. Adrian Morejon (1-0) got the win.
San Diego starter Michael King heard the fans’ discontent as the Padres were swept in a home series against last-place Colorado from May 13-15 and then when they lost to the Yankees in the first two games of a weekend series.
“We talked about it as a team, too. We heard it,” King said. “It’s definitely nice because obviously you want to win at home and I think that’s the main thing. You’ve got to have a winning record at home and try to be .500 on the road and I feel like we’re flipped right now.”
The Padres wasted a bases-loaded scoring chance in the sixth.
Profar drew a leadoff walk and Machado singled off Marlins starter Trevor Rogers, who struck out Cronenworth and then made way for Declan Cronin. He hit Donovan Solano with a pitch to load the bases but then struck out Luis Campusano and got rookie Jackson Merrill to fly out.
Solano, who joined the Padres on April 17, hit his first home run for them with two outs in the second.
The Marlins tied it with two outs in the third when King allowed his big league-leading 13th home run, this one an impressive shot into the seats in right-center by Jazz Chisholm Jr. It was his eighth.
King has served up a homer in each of his last three starts and at least one in eight of his 12 appearances.
The right-hander permitted one run and three hits in five innings, struck out seven and walked one.
UP NEXT
Marlins LHP Jesús Luzardo (2-3, 4.14 ERA) and Padres RHP Matt Waldron are scheduled to start Tuesday night in the middle game of the series.
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