Before the Padres opened their three-game series against the Cubs, San Diego manager Craig Stammen was asked about 1st baseman Ty France, who has a .999 OPS this year and hit two home runs on Saturday.
“He’s definitely earned some more at-bats,” said Stammen. “We love Ty. He’s got a great personality and he fits in well with all of our guys.”
France got some of those at-bats on Monday night, and his teammates probably like him even more. The former San Diego State Aztec star doubled, tripled, and drove in four runs in a 9-7 win over Chicago in a rematch of last year’s National League Wild Card Series.
Over their first 27 games, the Padres had scored all of three runs in the 1st inning. They got that many in the 1st inning on Monday night. Jackson Merrill singled home Ramon Laureano and then, with the bases loaded and two outs, France ripped a ground rule double that one-hopped over the left-centerfield wall for a 3-0 San Diego lead.
Starting pitcher Randy Vasquez did not have his best stuff. In the 3rd inning he made the mistake of issuing a two out walk, which led to a pair of singles, which begat a Moises Ballesteros grand slam and a 5-3 Cubs lead. Vasquez was able to get through 5.0 innings with five runs allowed and his offense helped him to an unlikely win.
Manny Machado led off with a double, part of a three hit night for Machado, and France drew a two-out walk. Did I mention those are not good for pitchers? France stole 2nd base (just the fourth steal of his career) in front of Nick Castellanos, who lined a single to centerfield to bring home both runners and put the Friars back on top 6-5.
In the 7th inning Xander Bogaerts and Miguel Andujar singled and France struck again, pulling one down the left field line and into the corner. Both runners scored and Matt Shaw, who thought the ball was going to carom off the wall, ran right by it. The misplay allowed France … not known for his blazing speed … to cruise into 3rd base for his first big league triple since September 22, 2022.
In the 8th inning the Padres added on when Gavin Sheets utterly demolished a Jacob Webb fastball, sending it 422 feet at 108 MPH into the right field seats for a solo homer. Sheets was in the game as a defensive replacement for, of all people, Machado, who was removed from the game after grimacing on a slide into 2nd base. Stammen said afterwards they removed him as a precaution and Machado will be re-evaluated on Tuesday (Sheets, being left-handed, went in to play 1st base while France moved across the diamond to 3rd).
The 9th inning was more dramatic than anyone expected with Mason Miller on the mound. Shaw led off with a dribbler down the 3rd base line. France smartly let it roll just into foul territory and picked it up with umpire Dan Merzel standing right over him, and Merzel called it a fair ball.
Stammen’s argument didn’t change any minds so Shaw was on with a leadoff “single” and it led to something we haven’t seen in 34.2 innings: Miller allowed a run. Two more singles loaded the bases and Nico Hoerner grounded into a fielder’s choice to bring home the first run against Miller since last August. Another run scored on a wild pitch before the universe righted itself and The Reaper struck out Alex Bregman to end it.
Game two of the series is Tuesday night with Walker Buehler on the mound against Chicago right-hander Edward Cabrera.
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