NEW YORK -- The Padres made four outs at the plate in the first two innings -- including three on outfield assists -- as they dropped their series opener against the Mets, 2-1, on Monday night.
Here’s some instant reaction from Citi Field:
Aggressive? Or too aggressive?
The way the Padres were swinging it during the first two innings, it’s a wonder they scored only one run against Mets right-hander Nolan McLean.
In the end, they were done in by some aggressive -- perhaps overaggressive -- baserunning. On three occasions in the first two innings, a Padres baserunner was thrown out at the plate on an outfield assist.
In the top of the first, San Diego recorded four straight one-out singles. But on the last two, Mets right fielder Carson Benge came up throwing and nailed a Padres baserunner at home. Then, in the second, Xander Bogaerts was thrown out at the plate by Mets left fielder A.J. Ewing.
Bogaerts ran through a stop sign from Padres third-base coach Bob Henley. It was also hard to fault Henley for the second send in the first inning. There were two outs, and Benge simply made an extraordinary 103.9 mph throw to nab Manny Machado.
The one decision that was probably a bit too aggressive? On Ty France’s single with one out in the first, Jake Cronenworth got an iffy read from second base and didn’t break immediately. He was out at the plate by several feet on a 99.9 mph throw.
And two batters prior to Bogaerts getting thrown out, Luis Rengifo grounded back to McLean, who threw home to get Luis Campusano on a force play with the bases loaded.
Turns out, those two innings were the best chances the Padres would get against McLean. He settled in for six innings of one-run ball.
Buehler delivers (again)
Walker Buehler’s numbers don’t even come close to doing him justice. He has been one of the most important arms on this Padres pitching staff. And that’s true in spite of his middling 4.79 ERA.
Buehler allowed two runs on two hits and two walks over six innings on Monday night. He struck out four. It was another extremely steady performance in a season full of them.
There’s something to be said for what Buehler has delivered -- especially on this particular pitching staff. The Padres’ rotation has been banged up all season. Prior to the Trade Deadline acquisitions of Robbie Ray and Casey Mize, they rarely seemed to know what they’d get from their starting pitcher on a nightly basis.
But Buehler has made 25 starts, and -- outside of a two-start stretch in early July in which he allowed 16 runs -- he has been a steadying force. That was the case again Monday night. Buehler allowed a couple of runs in the first inning on some weak contact, then nothing else. It marked his second straight quality start.
Remember, Buehler arrived on a Minor League deal in Spring Training, merely hoping to make the team. He has given the Padres everything they could’ve asked for this season -- and he seems to have plenty more to give.