SAN DIEGO – The final series before the All Star Break started with a sinking, familiar feeling for the Padres. An offense that was able to set the table a few times, but didn't get to eat until a late rally where San Diego scratched across one, dropping the series opener to the Toronto Blue Jays 5-3 on Friday night at Petco Park.
Xander Bogaerts hit a two-run home run in the first inning for San Diego (46-48), but the lead slipped away in the middle frames. Toronto (45-49) took the lead on a three-run home run by Kazuma Okamoto as part of a four-run fifth inning that turned the game.
“(We had) 10 hits today, a few walks in there too, so we had a lot of baserunners and we didn’t really cash them in. Only one hit with runners in scoring position and that was the last one of the game,” manager Craig Stammen said. “It’s one of those things with baseball, it kind of ebbs and flows, nobody’s ever really figured out runners in scoring position and how to be really good at it, but I know we’re talking about it every day and trying to find that solution. Eventually, I think it’s going to break through.”
Luis Campusano and Fernando Tatis Jr. each stroked two-out singles in the ninth inning against Blue Jays closer Louis Varland, then Jackson Merrill lined an RBI single to left to plate the first of three needed runs to tie. But despite winning an ABS Challenge, Bogaerts hit a full count knuckle curve on a hop to Okamoto at third, who threw him out to end the game.
“It’s tough, they gave us every chance, but we didn’t get the end result that we wanted or get the runs that we wanted at the end,” Bogaerts said.
The Padres had jumped on Shane Bieber early, as Bogaerts followed up Jackson Merrill’s one-out walk by launching his ninth home run of the season to left center field. After taking the first two pitches out of the zone, Bogaerts drove an elevated four-seam fastball out to snap a 33-game stretch without putting one over the wall.
But after working the Toronto starter for a 30-pitch first inning, the Brown and Gold only worked one more runner-in-scoring-position opportunity against Bieber after leaving Gavin Sheets on second after a two-out Ty France single in the first.
“(Bieber) adjust well, he had the curveball going pretty good, it was pretty sharp, tight spin on the ball (and) got a lot of swings and misses on that curveball for a reason. We got two in the first and we just stayed with two until the last inning, and that’s a tough way to win,” the San Diego short stop said.
It took until the sixth inning for San Diego to get a RISP opportunity with less than two outs, as France led off with a double against reliever Chad Dallas. A Miguel Andujar fly out to left field allowed France to dig hard and reach third after tagging up, setting the table for Luis Rengifo’s San Diego debut as a pitch-hitter replacing Jase Bowen.
But, much as in previous innings, that next hit never came, as Rengifo struck out and then Campusano fouled out after replacing Rodolfo Durán, who had hits in both of his at bats.
Toronto was able to generate their first bit of traffic and then offense in the fourth, as Vladimir Guerrero Jr. led off with a single and George Springer followed with a one-out knock through the right side. Then Alejandro Kirk reached low to golf a changeup over Merrill in right-center for an RBI double. But Sears was able to bear down and get consecutive grounders to strand the two runners in scoring position and preserve the 2-1 Padres edge.
But the Jays kept the pressure up the following frame, as Myles Straw led off by pushing a bunt up the first base side that Sears was unable to field barehanded for an infield single. It was the first of two infield hits for Toronto, who took a one-out Ernie Clement single to put runners on the corners and end Sears’ night.
Guerrero welcomed reliever Jhony Brito by chopping a slow roller to third that tied the game with an RBI single. Then major damage came in the next at bat as Okamoto hit a low-and-inside sinker sky high, which had just enough legs to get over the wall in left field for a three-run home run.
“(Sears) was pretty solid, tailed off a little there at the end, they got to him and singled him to death, and the bunt base hit kinda got them going in that inning… overall, very solid outing,” Stammen said. “When we bring in the reliever, we’ve got to keep those inherited runners where they’re at. One was a swinging bunt, the other was a battle-battle at bat and Okamoto got (Brito).”
It put Sears on the hook for the result, who was lifted after 4 1/3 innings and allowing six hits and three runs, with three strikeouts and one walk to take his second loss. Brito pitched the next 2 2/3 and allowed a pair of runs on three hits with two K’s and a walk.
The late run took the win away from Bieber, who pitched 4 2/3 innings with two runs and six hits allowed, navigating a trio of walks while also striking out a quartet in his fourth start and throwing a season-high 97 pitches. Mason Fluharty got a strikeout to end the fifth and notch his fourth win, while All Star Varland earned his 19th save in as many opportunities.
San Diego honored first-time AL All Star selection and former Padre Dylan Cease after the second inning, airing a highlight video that featured some of the top moments from his pair of seasons in Brown and Gold, including throwing the second no-hitter in franchise history. The Padres will not see Cease this series, as his last time out he pitched eight no-hit innings at San Francisco on July 8.
San Diego will turn to Walker Buehler (5-5, 5.07 ERA) for the second game, looking for a bounce-back start after the righty was dotted for nine and seven runs in his last two starts. Toronto counters with second-year righty Trey Yesavage (4-4, 3.31 ERA), who has allowed three or fewer runs over 25 2/3 innings across his past four outings. First pitch at Petco Park is scheduled for 5:40 p.m.
This story was updated at 10:57 p.m.