Padres' Reflect On Almost Perfect Road Trip

The San Diego Padres reflect on an almost perfect road trip after a disappointing loss to the Miami Marlins.

Aug 11, 2024; Miami, Florida, USA; San Diego Padres pinch-hitter Donovan Solano (39) celebrates after hitting a two-run home run against the Miami Marlins during the eighth inning at loanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports / Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports

They almost had it, but the San Diego Padres came up just short of a perfect road trip with a 7-6 loss to the Miami Marlins.

After coming back from a 5-0 deficit, the Padres saw themselves in the ninth inning down by a single point. With two outs left, Ha-Seong Kim slammed the ball off of the top padding of the left field wall, where it proceeded to bounce off left fielder Kyle Stowers' glove, and over the wall.

Initially deemed a home run, the MLB replay center changed the call to a ground-rule double. Kim made his return to second, and the game was over soon after that.

“I think they got it right, whether I agree with the rule or don’t agree with the rule,” said Padres manager Mike Shildt, per Kevin Acee of The San Diego Union-Tribune. “It’s a tough place for the timing of it. The ball went over the fence, didn’t touch the ground, feels like a home run. But rule tells you differently. But what an effort from the group. Another grit-squad performance.”

Despite this upsetting loss, the Padres clubhouse is in bright spirits overall. San Diego won its last seven games in a row, five of which were on the road. If they had beaten the Marlins, it would have been the perfect road trip.

Still, five out of six isn't bad!

“It’s a very good trip,” pinch-hitter Donovan Solano said. “We tried, and everybody sees it. This is baseball. In baseball, inches, they can change everything.”

Manny Machado echoed the sentiment. “It’s great,” he said. “How we’re playing right now, we’re gonna continue to play that way. We never feel like we’re out of it.”

Currently, the Padres are holding onto the second wild-card spot in the National League. In the National League West, they are tied with the Arizona Diamondbacks for second place. The Los Angeles Dodgers lead the division by 3.5 games.

Still, if there's a team that can catch up with the Dodgers and steal the NL West, it's this Padres team.

“… And this is what makes me so pleased with this club, the trait of this club," Shildt said, "Irrespective of circumstance, score, road, home, day, night, hot, cold, they’re going to compete, and they’re going to give us what they’ve got, and that’s plenty. So it was a heck of an effort, man. Hats off to the group for the way they competed today.”

Tomorrow, the Padres come back home to face the Pirates at 6:40 p.m. PT.

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