MEXICO CITY -- The Padres brought their winning ways to Mexico City -- their come-from-behind winning ways, to be more precise.
In Saturday’s Mexico City Series opener, San Diego rallied from an early four-run deficit for a dramatic 6-4 victory at Estadio Alfredo Harp Helú.
The Padres -- who have won six straight series and own the second best record in baseball -- got two homers from Ty France and rallied to take the lead with four runs in the seventh.
Then, they turned it over to their lights-out bullpen. Mason Miller nailed down his Major League-leading 11th save -- and, in the process, set the Padres’ franchise record with 34 2/3 consecutive scoreless innings.
More comeback magic
The Padres entered the day leading the Majors with four victories in games they trailed by at least four runs. Only one other team (the Orioles) even had three.
They did it again.
Gavin Sheets cut the deficit to one with a two-run single (to some raucous “Holy Sheets” chants from the Mexico City fans). From there, the Padres benefitted from a Geraldo Perdomo error on what could’ve been an inning-ending double-play ball.
They would later capitalize with a pair of sacrifice flies. Freddy Fermin’s tied the game, and Ramón Laureano’s gave the Padres their first lead. France added an insurance run with his second home run of the game in the top of the ninth.
The bullpen formula
Handed a late lead, manager Craig Stammen went with the formula that’s worked for him all along. Adrian Morejon covered the seventh. Jason Adam pitched a scoreless eighth. Enter the Reaper.
Miller, who entered the game tied with Meredith for the franchise’s all-time record scoreless streak, now sits eighth on the list of longest scoreless streaks for any reliever since at least 1961 (6 1/3 innings shy of Gregg Olson’s record).
A festive atmosphere
Estadio Alfredo Harp Helú brought it.
From Rey Mysterio’s first pitch, to the Mexico national anthem sung throughout the stadium, to the mariachi seventh inning stretch -- the fans in Mexico City were loud throughout.
Just as it was during the Padres’ visit in 2023, the atmosphere was as festive as ever. And with a largely pro-Padres crowd, that held especially true during San Diego’s seventh inning rally.
Márquez holds serve
Germán Márquez allowed four runs with two outs during a furious D-backs second-inning rally. But what he was able to do after that not only changed the game, but might have changed the series as well.
Márquez settled in to work six innings, allowing only those four runs and keeping the game within reach. At the time, it looked like he was merely doing his part to save the Padres’ bullpen. Until the Padres rallied -- and suddenly Márquez was in line for the win.