SAN DIEGO -- On most nights, the Padres will take their chances with a bullpen like this one. This was not most nights.
The Cubs broke open a close game late, scoring six runs against the San Diego ’pen, en route to an 8-3 victory on Tuesday night. Here’s some instant reaction from Petco Park:
Bogaerts’ eventful night
After the Padres fell behind, 2-0, in the second, Xander Bogaerts launched a towering solo homer to the third level of the Western Metal Building in left field. It was his fifth homer of the season, which leads the Padres. His .812 OPS is the best among all of the team’s regulars.
He finished 1-for-3 with a walk on Tuesday, and was it ever an eventful walk. Bogaerts worked Cubs starter Edward Cabrera for nine pitches. Two of those pitches were initially called strikes, but were overturned when Bogaerts challenged.
What a development for the Padres, who have been hoping to see this version of Bogaerts for most of his Padres tenure. Their superstars aren’t quite mashing yet. Jackson Merrill is struggling. Fernando Tatis Jr. hasn’t tapped into his power. Manny Machado -- just when he was getting going -- is now sidelined with a minor calf issue.
But Bogaerts is shining.
Middle relief questions?
No one doubts the dominance at the back end of the Padres’ bullpen. Mason Miller is practically unhittable (fair/foul calls aside). Jason Adam has returned from injury with a vengeance. And Adrian Morejon -- after an early season blip -- looks like himself again.
It’s probably the best back-end trio in baseball. But the Padres are convinced they have the best bullpen in baseball. The whole thing. Which means a night like this one shouldn’t be happening.
Kyle Hart, David Morgan and Wandy Peralta combined to allow six runs in the sixth and seventh innings. Hart and Morgan dealt with command issues and put too many runners on base. Peralta served up a three-run homer to Pete Crow-Armstrong, putting the game out of reach.
On the whole this season, the Padres’ middle relief has been mostly solid. Bradgley Rodriguez, in particular, has been an early standout. But on the whole, it feels like there’s room for improvement.
Speaking of which … Jeremiah Estrada, who is currently rehabbing right elbow tendinitis, pitched a scoreless inning at Triple-A El Paso.
Buehler makes it work
It’s been an up-and-down first month with the Padres for Walker Buehler. He’s had some good starts for San Diego -- and some poor starts. His start on Tuesday night was … adequate. Somewhere in between.
You wouldn’t call it good. He lasted only 4 2/3 innings, and only 48 of the 92 pitches he threw were strikes. But when Buehler needed to make a pitch to escape trouble, he usually did. He allowed only two runs.
There are still concerns at the back end of the San Diego rotation. Big ones. But with a bullpen like this, the Padres are only asking that their back-end starters keep them in games for five innings or so. Buehler just about did that.