Merrill's massive showing has Padres flying with Wild Card race tightening

SAN DIEGO -- It was 95 degrees at first pitch on Wednesday afternoon, marking the hottest game in Petco Park history.

The Padres are red-hot, too. They completed a sweep of the Nationals with a 9-2 victory on a scorching Wednesday afternoon in downtown San Diego -- and finished their homestand 5-1.

“That’s our brand of baseball,” said Jackson Merrill, who went 4-for-5 with two homers and a triple.

With 16 games to play -- and 13 until the Padres and Diamondbacks square off on the final weekend of the season -- the two NL West rivals are tied for the final Wild Card spot in the National League (pending the result of Arizona’s series finale in Kansas City on Wednesday evening). Here are some takeaways:

1. Merrill is mashing

It’s been a roller coaster of a season for Merill. He’s a streaky hitter, so it’s bound to feel that way sometimes.

Now would certainly be a good time for him to get hot.

Merrill hit the go-ahead triple in the bottom of the third inning, putting the Padres in front for good. He followed with a pair of home runs -- both to the opposite field, one to left and one to left-center field.

Those are the types of swings Merrill takes when he’s feeling it at the plate. And right now, he seems to be feeling it. Merrill went 7-for-12 with four extra-base hits in the series. He’d entered hitless in his previous four games, but felt like he was taking good at-bats throughout.

“I’m just sticking with the process, not trying to chase results,” Merrill said. “Just chasing wins and doing it with my friends -- so that’s fun.”

He became just the third player in franchise history with two homers and a triple in the same game -- joining Ryan Klesko (2001) and Greg Vaughn (1998).

“It makes our offense very electric when he’s hitting the way he’s hitting,” manager Craig Stammen said. “... Great game by Jackson. He just brings a lot to our team when he’s hitting for power. But he’s also got the speed, takes great at-bats, plays great defense.”

2. Managing like a playoff game

In case the magnitude of these games wasn’t already clear …

Stammen lifted starter Walker Buehler after just 2 1/3 innings and 60 pitches on Wednesday afternoon. Buehler had loaded the bases in the top of the third inning, and the Padres trailed 2-0. The lefty-hitting CJ Abrams was due up.

The details of the pitching change were strange. Buehler managed to convince Stammen to leave him in the game -- only for both to belatedly realize that wasn’t an option in the first place. It was the Padres’ second mound visit of the inning, meaning Buehler, by rule, needed to be lifted. It was the umpiring crew who actually signaled to the Padres' bullpen.

Kyle Hart emerged and escaped the jam. He pitched 2 1/3 scoreless innings. The rest of the San Diego bullpen followed suit with four other relievers pitching scoreless ball.

Ahead of an off-day on Thursday, it was the perfect time for Stammen to be aggressive with his bullpen. And he was.

You might see a lot more of that down the stretch.

“We have to win, and we know that,” Hart said. “So I think everybody’s ready, as soon as we go through the gates of the bullpen before the game. We’re ready every pitch.”

3. Taylor wreaks havoc

With Luis Rengifo out for the season and Gavin Sheets unlikely to play outfield when he returns from a plantar plate tear in his left foot, the Padres have questions in left field.

Samad Taylor might be the answer to them.

Taylor returned from an oblique injury the very day that Rengifo landed on the injured list -- one sparkplug-type player replacing another on the roster.

Taylor’s bunt single helped break the game open in the top of the fourth inning. He forced a throwing error from Nats starter Jackson Kent, and a run would come around to score. A couple innings later, Taylor swatted a double to right field.

“Samad was doing his thing,” Stammen said. “And that is his thing -- that bunt right there. It’s a big part of his game. He needs to use that as much as possible, just because it creates havoc. He creates havoc.”