Rengifo's pinch-hit blast lifts Padres over fellow Wild Card hopeful Marlins

MIAMI -- It’s hard to tell the magnitude of Luis Rengifo’s latest heroics -- a pinch-hit two-run home run that proved decisive in the Padres’ 4-2 victory over the Marlins on Friday at loanDepot park. That’ll come with time.

But in the moment, it sure felt like the type of swing that helped keep the Padres’ fading Wild Card hopes alive -- along with any visions they have of buying at the Aug. 3 Trade Deadline.

The Padres remain four games behind the Diamondbacks in the race for the final Wild Card spot -- though they gained ground on the four other teams ahead of them in that race, including head-to-head against the Marlins.

Here are some takeaways from a victory that could prove pivotal:

Rengifo does it again
Samad Taylor is out with a strained oblique. Miguel Andujar is out with a fractured wrist. Someone on the Padres’ bench needed to step up.

Enter Rengifo.

Released by the Brewers in late June, Rengifo signed with the Padres shortly thereafter. He was called up just before the All-Star break and has wasted no time making an impact.

Friday brought Rengifo’s most important swing yet. With the game tied in the eighth, manager Craig Stammen called for Rengifo to bat for Luis Campusano. He got a hanging sweeper and pulverized it into the right-field seats for his second home run in three days.

“I’m grateful to God for this opportunity with these guys,” Rengifo said. “Just keep going.”

Since joining the Padres, Rengifo is hitting .435 with a 1.176 OPS. A switch-hitter and a versatile defender, he’s been everything they needed -- and then some.

“Just some big hits in big moments,” said Stammen. “He got us going. It’s what we need right now.”

Desperate times in the rotation
Technically, Germán Márquez is a starter. He’s been starting every fifth day. But really, Márquez is just a long man … who happens to start games.

Márquez went three innings his last time out. He lasted only 2 1/3 against the Marlins. It wasn’t that he was pitching poorly. He wasn’t hurt, either. It’s just that the Padres’ optimal strategy right now is to give their starters minimal leash, then to make it work with their bullpen.

“We’re trying to piece it together, use all 13 [pitchers on the roster],” Stammen said. “Figure out a way to get through the game, limited exposure, get them in the right lanes. It’ll probably be more of the norm going forward.”

It’s unclear how sustainable that is. The bullpen has clearly felt a burden. But it’s certainly more sustainable than it was previously, now that the Padres have a handful of long relief options on board.

It’s also hard to argue with the strategy, given the starters at Stammen’s disposal. Michael King has been the only reliable member of the rotation. Entering play Friday, those starters had combined for the fourth-highest ERA in the Majors (4.69).

The Padres need to win these games to stay alive in the Wild Card race. By any means necessary. And their bullpen is an obvious strength.

“The confidence to go to us in the third inning, I think, says a lot about how we think about the bullpen as a whole,” said Mason Miller, who nailed down his 26th save with a 1-2-3 ninth. “Obviously that’s not something we’re probably going to be able to do every single day. But especially in times like this where we kind of need a game, having the ability to do that is really valuable.”

Tatis is so good in right field
You already know this. You don’t need me to tell you. Heck, it’s not like Fernando Tatis Jr. even did anything highlight-worthy on Friday night.

Except he might’ve saved the game with his arm -- and didn’t even record an assist.

With two outs in the seventh, Kyle Stowers hit what looked like a certain double into the right-field corner. Tatis ranged quickly to his left and cut the ball off before it reached the wall. Then, he spun.

Stowers cut off his turn around first base at that very moment. For good reason. Tatis delivered a perfect one-hop strike to the bag. Stowers would have been out, easily.

There aren’t many right fielders who turn that type of batted ball into a single. And sure enough, Heriberto Hernández, the next batter, followed with a double that would’ve plated Stowers if he were on second.

“It’s huge, they would’ve taken the lead,” Tatis said. “I’m just playing defense and being there for my pitchers.”

Adrian Morejon was summoned from the bullpen, and he escaped the jam, setting up Rengifo’s heroics.