Michael King deserved better than what he got. The San Diego Padres starter completed six innings and scattered five hits while allowing just one run to the Atlanta Braves. The Padres did nothing to support him on offense and his night ended with Atlanta holding onto a 1-0 lead. Jackson Merrill helped out in the top of the seventh inning with a solo home run to tie the game, but that was all the offense could muster in support of King.
San Diego and Atlanta entered the eighth inning with the teams still tied at 1-1. The Padres went down in order in the top of the eighth inning. Wandy Peralta took the mound in the bottom half of the frame and had a complete meltdown that saw the Braves score four runs on three hits with a walk in just 1/3 of an inning pitched. He was replaced on the mound by Randy Vasquez who had his own struggles over 2/3 of an inning as he allowed two more runs on four hits with a strikeout.
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The six-run inning by the Braves set the stage for the Padres in the top of the ninth. The game appeared all but over before the San Diego offense suddenly came to life. Pinch-hitter Sung-Mun Song flied out to start the frame, but Xander Bogarts walked and Jake Cronenworth doubled to put runners at second and third. Gavin Sheets followed with an RBI-single to make the score, 7-2. Sheets advanced to second base on a wild-pitch and the Padres had runners at second and third with one out. Fernando Tatis Jr. stepped to the plate and hit a triple that got under the glove of Atlanta center fielder Michael Harris II and rolled all the way to the wall. The hit by Tatis made the score, 7-4.
San Diego tacked on its final two runs when Luis Rengifo connected on a two-run home run off Atlanta closer Raisel Iglesias to make the score 7-6 before he struck out Manny Machado and Ty France to end the game. Based on the recent success and only being down a run, those were the two batters the Padres would have wanted at the plate, neither of them were able to come through in a big moment.
San Diego will try to win Game 4 in Atlanta to force a split this morning at 9:15 a.m.
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