Freddy Fermin delivered a two-run homer in the bottom of the seventh inning Saturday night and the San Diego Padres snapped a six-game losing streak with a 3-2 decision over the visiting New York Mets.
With Sung-Mun Song on first after legging out a two-out infield hit, Fermin jumped on a first-pitch sinker from Austin Warren (1-2). The liner into the left field seats traveled 366 feet for Fermin’s first homer of the year.
It made a winner of Bradgley Rodriguez (1-2) even though he allowed the go-ahead run in the top of the seventh on Marcus Semien’s home run. Jason Adam worked around a pair of hits in the eighth and Mason Miller pitched around a two-out walk to A.J. Ewing in the ninth for his 18th save in as many chances.
Both starters didn’t factor into the decision despite good outings. San Diego’s Griffin Canning allowed three hits and a run in five innings with two walks and six strikeouts, while New York’s Nolan McLean gave up three hits and a run over six innings. McLean walked three and fanned five.
Semien put McLean in line for his fourth win when he drilled a leadoff homer to start the Mets’ half of the seventh. Ambushing a first-pitch sinker, Semien launched it 394 feet to left-center for his seventh homer.
New York initiated the scoring in the second inning. Semien coaxed a one-out walk and reached second on a single by Ewing. Brett Baty brought Semien home with a two-out single up the middle.
The Padres tied it in the third with a little bit of help from second base. Song led off with a walk and stole second. One out later, Fernando Tatis Jr. hit a grounder that struck the right corner of second and caromed into right field for an RBI single.
The Mets put the potential go-ahead runs aboard in the eighth on one-out singles by Carson Benge and Bo Bichette. But Juan Soto lined out to Song at second base, who doubled off Benge to quash the threat.
