Aug 25, 2024; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres center fielder Jackson Merrill (3) is doused by third baseman Tyler Wade (14) after hitting a walk-off home run against the New York Mets the at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports
Jackson Merrill hit a solo home run in the bottom of the ninth inning Sunday, lifting the San Diego Padres to a 3-2 comeback victory over the visiting New York Mets and splitting the teams’ four-game series.
Merrill got a 2-0 count off reliever Edwin Diaz (5-2) and lined a slider about 379 feet into the right-field seats for his 19th homer. It was the All-Star rookie’s second career walk-off homer and the sixth time he has hit a game-tying or go-ahead homer for San Diego in the eighth inning or later.
Robert Suarez (8-1) pitched a flawless ninth inning for the win and the Padres finished their seven-game homestand at 4-3 and remained 1 1/2 games behind Arizona for the top NL wild-card spot. New York missed a chance to get within 2 1/2 games of Atlanta for the final NL wild-card spot.
The Mets were in position to win the series, leading 2-0 in the bottom of the eighth inning. But Jose Butto walked rookie Mason McCoy with one out and then gave Jurickson Profar a 2-2 sinker over the outer half of the plate that Profar sent about 390 feet to right field, tying the score with his career-best 21st homer.
That swing didn’t phase Jose Quintana, who entered the game with an 8.27 ERA in August but found his form over 6 1/3 scoreless innings. He allowed just four hits and two walks, striking out no one.
New York started the scoring in the fourth inning with JD Martinez, who launched a Martin Perez fastball over the 396-foot mark in center field for his 15th homer of the year. Perez later walked with the bases loaded, but Bryan Hoeing bailed him out by striking out Francisco Lindor for the third out of the inning.
Mark Vientos made it 2-0 in the seventh, connecting on his 21st homer of the year from an estimated 432 feet to right-center field.
Perez lasted 3 2/3 innings, allowing four hits and one run with three walks and one strikeout.
–Field level media
