Merrill, Maldonado deliver rbi hits in the 2nd inning as padres hold on to beat Marlins 2-1
Merrill had an RBI single that scored Xander Bogaerts. Maldonado followed with a double down the left field line off Eury Pérez (3-3) that scored Merrill from first and put San Diego up 2-0. Miami's Kyle Stowers hit a solo homer off Padres starter Randy Vásquez that made it 2-1 in the fourth. Stowers, who has an MLB-best 12 homers since June 22, connected on a 1-0 changeup and sent it 400 feet to left-center for his 22nd home run of the season. Vásquez allowed one run on seven hits while issuing one walk and no strikeouts in 4 1/3 innings. He left with a runner at first and one out in the fifth before Adrian Morejon (8-4) got the last two outs of the inning. Robert Suarez got the final three outs for his 29th save. Pérez struck out five and allowed two runs on five hits in five innings. Xavier Edwards had three of Miami's eight hits, but the Marlins went 0 for 5 with runners in scoring position.
Key moment: After Edwards reached on a single against Vásquez, Morejon struck out Jesús Sánchez and got Otto Lopez to ground out to end the fifth.
Key stat: The Padres have played in 56 games this season that have been decided within two runs, including seven of their last 10 – the second-most such games in the majors.
Up next: RHP Edward Cabrera (3-4, 3.61) will be on the mound for the Marlins on Tuesday. San Diego has not announced a starter.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Arab News
21 minutes ago
- Arab News
MLS, playing without Messi, beats Liga MX 3-1 in All-Star Game
AUSTIN: Sam Surridge, Tai Baribo and Brian White scored goals and Major League Soccer defeated Liga MX of Mexico 3-1 in the MLS All-Star Game on Wednesday night playing without Lionel Messi. Messi and his Inter Miami teammate, Jordi Alba, both face possible league suspensions for their team's next match against Cincinnati on Saturday for missing the All-Star game. 'Messi's the greatest,' MLS coach Nico Estévez said. 'Playing with him and coaching him would be something amazing. But we have to show respect for the guys that showed up today. They did great. It's a special week, a unique event. Not everyone can enjoy this. I'm fortunate.' Liga MX's James Rodríguez also chose not to play in the game played in front of more than 20,000 fans at Q2 Stadium. MLS has defeated Liga MX three times in four tries. Last year Liga MX won 4-1 in Columbus, Ohio. The MLS All-Stars won in 2022 and beat Liga MX on penalty kicks after a 1-1 draw a year prior. Messi has yet to appear in an MLS All-Star Game. He missed the game last year with an injury. Messi is currently tied with Nashville's Surridge for the MLS lead in goals with 18. Surridge scored another goal on Wednesday, from the middle of the box, heading in to the lower right corner a ball directed by LAFC's Denis Bouanga in the 28th minute. The opportunity developed after Bouanga had a point-blank attempt stopped by Liga MX goalkeeper Luis Malagon (Club America). Bouanga hustled to retrieve the long rebound and sent it to Surridge. Before the goal, both teams had attempts rejected with diving stops by Luis Malagón and Austin FC's Brad Stuver in the 13th and 18th minutes. MLS went ahead 2-0 in the 51st minute when Diego Rossi (Columbus) passed ahead to Baribo (Philadelphia), whose right footed shot from the center of the box made it to the lower left corner of the goal. Liga MX closed the gap to 2-1 just 13 minutes later when Gilberto Mora (Club Tijuana) converted a pass from Elias Montiel (Pachuca) from the middle of the box. 'We had moments when we played good soccer,' Liga MX coach André Jardine said. Liga MX's bid to tie the match was snubbed when a shot by Diber Cambindo (Necaxa) was stopped by Yohei Takaoka (Vancouver) in the 75th minute. White (Vancouver) finished the scoring in the 80th minute. Baribo ranks fourth in MLS with 14 goals and White has scored 11 as they chase Messi and Surridge. 'They are competitive,' Estévez said. 'One scores and the other says 'I have to score.' Brian in the end said 'I have to score.' ' Up next MLS and Liga MX continue their rivalry with the Leagues Cup that begins on July 29 and concludes Aug. 31. The competition features a new format, with all 18 clubs from Liga MX and the top 18 from MLS competing. Last year all 47 clubs from the two leagues were included.
Al Arabiya
36 minutes ago
- Al Arabiya
Rays option Taj Bradley to Triple-a Durham after poor start
The Tampa Bay Rays optioned right-hander Taj Bradley to Triple-A Durham following his poor start in Wednesday night's 11-9 loss to the Chicago White Sox. Once a top pitching prospect, the 24-year-old Bradley was handed a 4-0 lead after the first inning against the last-place White Sox (37-66), but he couldn't get through the second, allowing four runs, four hits, and three walks. White Sox rookie Colson Montgomery tied the score with a three-run homer off Bradley. 'Tough decision certainly, but felt like it's best for him to get down there right now,' Rays manager Kevin Cash said. 'He's got to get to work... It's probably a better environment for him to work rather than compete every single pitch. We know that Taj Bradley is massive to our success, and we need to get him back to the form that we know he's capable of.' The move, described by team officials as a strategic reset rather than a disciplinary action, comes as Bradley's performance at the major league level has been inconsistent. Through 21 starts this season, he is 6–6 with a 4.61 ERA, raising concerns about his command and mental approach. In the minors, Bradley will work to regain command of his secondary pitches, such as his changeup and slider. Meanwhile, the Rays plan to rely more heavily on pitchers such as Joe Boyle and Mason Englert to stabilize the rotation.
Al Arabiya
an hour ago
- Al Arabiya
New jersey little leaguer suspended for bat flip, a celebration governing body promotes
A 12-year-old Little Leaguer is distraught at the prospect of missing his team's first state tournament game because he was suspended for flipping his bat after hitting a game-winning home run – a type of celebration Little League Baseball promotes on its social media accounts. Marco Rocco of Haddonfield, New Jersey, tossed his bat in the air on July 16 after his sixth-inning, two-run homer in the final of the sectional tournament, his father, Joe Rocco, told The Associated Press on Wednesday. At first, he was called out, but on appeal the runs counted. Marco was ejected and suspended for a game over what the family was told were actions deemed unsportsmanlike and horseplay. Now, his family has gone to court to seek an emergency temporary restraining order that will allow him to play in the New Jersey state tournament that starts on Thursday. 'All we're asking for is that the suspension be lifted so he can play in the game,' Joe Rocco said. The sides are scheduled to make their arguments before a judge in Gloucester County Chancery Division on Thursday afternoon, just hours before the game. The winner of the state tournament advances to the regionals, where they have a chance to move on to the Little League World Series. What makes the ejection and suspension so confounding is that Little League Baseball posts videos of bat-flip celebrations on social media that do not result in punishment. In fact, Marco has tossed his bat in celebration in prior tournament games without warnings or punishment, according to the court complaint. Joe Rocco called that hypocritical. 'They promote bat flips. The kids see major leaguers doing it. It's part of the game. He was just emulating what he saw,' he said. The incident left his son distraught. 'He was so confused,' the father said. 'He didn't understand what was going on. On the car ride home, he was saying, 'How can that be against the rules? If I knew I was breaking the rules, I never would have done it.'' A message seeking comment was left with Little League's East Region headquarters after business hours on Wednesday night.
