Jake Burger hit a home run for the third game in a row, Jesús Sánchez also homered, and the Miami Marlins defeated the San Diego Padres 7-6 on Sunday, ending the Padres’ seven-game winning streak.
Burger has now hit 12 home runs since the All-Star break, doing so in just 23 games, which is the fastest in team history. He surpassed Giancarlo Stanton, who achieved this during his 59-homer and NL MVP season in 2017.
“My wife texted me after the game and asked if I’m even human now,” Burger said. “I’ve always believed I’m one of the top power hitters in the game. I know this won’t last forever, but if I can stay in these kinds of slumps longer, I think I’ll have a great career.”
Ha-Seong Kim initially had a game-tying home run off Andrew Nardi, as his drive bounced off the padding in left field, then off left fielder Kyle Stowers’ glove and over the wall with two outs in the ninth. However, after a review, the play was changed to a double.
“It was a strange one. I tried to catch the ball and thought I made a good attempt,” Stowers said. “It was out of my reach, and as it bounced back, it hit my glove.”
Padres manager Mike Schildt said he didn’t get a full explanation from crew chief Bill Miller on the reversal.
“He gave me no explanation—just an overturned ground-rule double,” Schildt said. “I think they got it right. Whether I agree with the rule or not, it’s a tough play because of the timing.
The ball went over the fence and didn’t touch the ground, so it felt like a home run. But the rule says otherwise.”
George Soriano came in to relieve Nardi and struck out Luis Campusano for his first save, as Miami ended a three-game losing streak, all of which were extra-inning losses.
“The whole series and homestand were really draining, both emotionally and physically,” Marlins manager Skip Schumaker said. “If I’m exhausted, I can’t imagine how our players feel. We had some tough, extra-inning losses, so coming back like this is amazing.”
Marlins pitcher Max Meyer (3-2) gave up three runs and seven hits, while striking out four in a career-high 6 1/3 innings. Meyer was taken out of the game after David Peralta hit a double that made the score 5-4.
“I managed to keep my fastball effective throughout the game and felt like I regained some control over my slider,” Meyer said about his fourth start since returning from Triple-A on July 27. “I definitely felt much better on the mound.”
Sánchez hit a two-run home run off reliever Yuki Matsui in the seventh to extend Miami’s lead, but San Diego closed the gap with a two-run homer from pinch-hitter Donovan Solano off Nardi in the eighth.
Luis Arraez had three hits for the Padres, going 7 for 15 in the series against his former team.
The Marlins scored five runs against Padres starter Dylan Cease (11-9) in the first two innings. Cease then settled down and kept the Marlins scoreless for the last three innings of his outing.
Three of the runs charged to Cease were unearned due to two Padres errors in the second inning. Cease allowed six hits, struck out five, and walked two.
Jonah Bride and Otto López had run-scoring singles in the first inning to give Miami a 2-0 lead.
Burger’s two-run home run in the second inning completed a three-run inning. Xavier Edwards reached base after Arraez dropped a throw from shortstop Kim, allowing Derek Hill to score from third before Burger hit his home run.
The Padres started closing the gap with RBI groundouts from Peralta in the fifth and Jurickson Profar and Jake Cronenworth in the sixth.
“You’re down 5-0 on the last day of the road trip in a day game, and this is why I’m so proud of this team,” Schildt said. “Despite any circumstances, whether it’s the road, the score, day or night, hot or cold, they’re going to compete.”
Both benches cleared at the end of the fourth inning after Miami second baseman Otto López objected to a hard slide by Cronenworth at second base intended to break up a double play, but no fights broke out.
