Some players are wired for the biggest moments. Michael Jordan was. Patrick Mahomes is. They just get better when the stakes are higher.
It sure does look like Jackson Merrill has a little bit of that in him.
The Padres rookie added another chapter to the story of what is becoming a borderline legendary rookie season in Miami on Friday night, launching a solo home run in the 9th inning to spark a 10-inning, 6-2 win over the Marlins and keep the Friars in control of the National League Wild Card race.
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It was the 2nd time in the last three games that Merrill has homered in the 9th inning to tie a game the Padres eventually won. He did the same thing on Wednesday night in Pittsburgh off Pirates All-Star closer David Bednar. Oh, and Merrill also had a triple and a single in the game to raise his season average to .294.
Not too shabby for a kid who was 20 years old when the season started.
His latest bit of late heroics helped save Martin Perez from a tough-luck loss. The lefty acquired at the trade deadline made only two mistakes in his 2nd San Diego start. In the 3rd inning he gave up a solo homer to Jake Burger then, on the very next pitch, another homer to Jonah Bride to put the Marlins on top 2-0. Perez only allowed one other hit in 7.0 innings of work.
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It took the Padres eight inning to get on the board. Jurickson Profar doubled and scored on a Manny Machado double to cut the Marlins lead to 2-1. In the 9th inning Merrill led off and went after the first pitch he saw from George Soriano, an inside slider that the rookie blasted 400 feet to centerfield. Merrill let out a primal scream. The Padres dugout went bonkers.
After that it was only a matter of time.
Jason Adam made sure it got to extra innings and the Padres offense blew up in the 10th.
Jake Cronenworth hit a ground ball up the middle. Tyler Wade broke for home and beat the throw with a headfirst dive, slamming his face into the dirt as he avoided the tag to score the go-ahead run. Wade emerged with a bloody nose, something he'll tell you is a small price to pay for a win.
The Friars piled on when Machado doubled home two more and Merrill dropped a single to left to score Manny and make it 6-2. Former Marlin Tanner Scott got through the bottom half with no damage done, giving the Padres their 6th straight win.
The Padres can win the series on Saturday afternoon. If they do it would be their 7th straight series win since the All-Star break.
