After ten scrappy innings that included five lead changes, the San Diego Padres held on to win a nail biter on Wednesday against the Pittsburgh Pirates, 9-8, at PNC Park.

The game was full of ups and downs for both teams, but for a team that has been the hottest team since the All-Star break, today was uncharacteristic for the Friars.

The Padres (63-52) went into the ninth inning down by a single run. With one out, 21-year-old rookie and runner up for NL Rookie of the Month Jackson Merrill, once again in a big spot, delivered by hitting a game-tying home run.

“Just looking for something to hit. You know, trying to get on base, start something,” Merrill said about his ninth inning at-bat against Pirates closer David Bednar. “All I needed is one, so manufacturer run anyway. Just happen to hit it at the right angle."

Not only was the homer his second of the evening (14,15), but it was his second multi-home run game in his professional career. Additionally, this season Jackson Merrill has three game-tying or go-ahead homers in the ninth inning or later, which is tied for the second most by a rookie in the expansion era.

“He embraces it. He loves it, thrives on it. He sees it as an opportunity and goes and plays the game. He’s got that ‘it’ factor,” said Padres manager Mike Shildt. 

Another unexpected event for the Padres was their pitching. Right-hander Michael King (9-6, 3.34 ERA) made the start, after allowing a total of seven runs with 35 strikeouts and pitched an average of six innings per-start over his last five games. 

King appeared to be off his game putting himself behind the count against Pittsburgh batters. He threw 33 pitches in the first inning, the most pitches he has thrown in an inning since 2020. 

In total, King pitched five innings, coughing up four runs on six hits, along with seven strikeouts and two walks.

“He’s been battling… trying to get really healthy and come out here and compete… he did a good job. He did what he was supposed to do,” Merrill said of King’s performance. “He might have left a couple of hits that really were not going his way, but I’m proud of him. I’m proud of the way he competed tonight.” 

Not to mention, the Padres defense also looked a bit sloppy at times, including a missed diving catch by Bryce Johnson, King slowing down while running to first base to get an out from Donovan Solano, a fielding error by Xander Bogaerts and two passed balls by Kyle Higashioka. 

“We didn’t play as clean as we typically play,” Shildt said. “We gotta prove you’re human some days, but we overcame it. That’s what winners do. They found solutions. I just can’t say enough about the group."

Looking on the positive side, it was a good day offensively for the Padres finishing the game with nine runs on 14 hits. 

After a two run first inning by PIttsburgh, Merrill got the Padres on the scoreboard with no doubt home run in the second inning. The Pirates (56-57) managed to chalk up another run in the second inning. That is when the back-and forth action began.

In the fourth inning with two runners on base, Higashioka cracked a three-run homer to center to give San Diego their first lead. Similar to the second inning, the Pirates were quick to answer back with a solo shot by Andrew McCutchen to tie the game again.

Merrill's madness continued by giving the Padres their lead back in the fifth inning following an RBI single to score Manny Machado. Not too much later in the sixth inning, McCutchen struck again with a two-run single to go in front 6-5, which was the final run scored until Merrill’s home run in the ninth. 

The Padres were able to jump ahead in the tenth inning by scoring three runs by Bogaerts' single to left, a sacrifice fly by Machado and a Merrill fly out scoring Bogaerts due to an error by catcher Yasani Grandal. 

During the ninth and tenth inning, Padres pitchers experienced some brief scares that almost cost them the game. 

In the ninth, the Pirates quickly had the bases loaded with only one out with Padres closer Robert Suarez on the mound. Suarez was replaced by Tanner Scott during the ninth inning with two outs after a lengthy stoppage after the home plate umpire Andy Fletcher called a pitch clock violation.

Manager Shildt admits that the reason why Suarez didn’t finish the ninth inning was because he came out of the dugout and Fletcher told him that “he would deem that a trip and that (Ji Hwan) Bae was gonna be the last hitter that Suarez could face.”   

Scott walked the first three batters he faced in the 10th inning allowing one run to score. Scott would then be replaced by Adrian Morejon with no outs, who allowed one run off a wild pitch.     

All-Star recipient Merrill finished today’s game going 4 of 6 with three RBIs. Teammates Bogaerts, Machado, Higashioka and Donovan Solano all finished with two hits.        

The three game series will come to an end on Thursday at an early 9:35 a.m. start time. The probable starting pitchers will be Randy Vasquez (3-6, 4.62 ERA) for the Padres and Luis Ortiz (5-2, 3.21 ERA) for the Pirates.