Mason Miller went over a year without giving up a home run, but now he’s coughed up two in consecutive appearances, and the latest one absolutely rocked the Padres. In the ninth inning of Sunday’s game, Miller surrendered a two-run shot to outfielder Jonny Deluca, tying the game 3-3 and sending it to extras, thanks to a seriously wild bounce.
The Fluke Play That Decided Everything
You won’t believe how that game tying homer actually happened. While it’s Miller’s second long ball allowed in a week, this one was almost an out. The ball hammered the wall, sure, but it actually knocked right out of Samad Taylor’s glove and into the buffet behind the fence. Talk about brutal! Taylor was even in there as a defensive replacement after pinch-hitting earlier, which just twists the knife even more. If that wall had been even a little higher, we’re talking about a completely different ballgame. But it was low enough to cause a collision that popped the ball right out, proving once again that every ballpark has its own crazy quirks. The Padres even managed to pull ahead 4-3 in the 11th on a sac fly from Ty France, only for Tampa Bay to strike back in the bottom half. Deluca came through again on a run-scoring error by Xander Bogaerts, and then Jorge Mateo ripped the winning single into left to score Kenny Piper. Just like that, the Rays swept the Padres right out of town. The “good” news for San Diego? The Diamondbacks also lost Sunday, so the Padres are still just half a game out of the last wild-card spot. It’s not a great outcome after getting swept, but it definitely could have been worse. Meanwhile, the Rays are still sitting pretty, 4.5 games up in the AL East, even with the Yankees’ hot streak.
Yankees Made History, Boston Got Blasted
Speaking of the Yankees, Sunday was an absolute nightmare for the Red Sox. The Yanks obliterated them 16-1, putting on an offensive clinic that even trade deadline acquisition Heliot Ramos got in on. But the real story? Austin Wells. This dude made history as a pinch-hitter, cranking out two homers in the eighth inning. Think about that: he’s the first player ever to come into a game as a pinch-hitter and belt two dingers in the same frame! Wells came in during the sixth, picking up a sac fly to make it 6-0, then dropped his ninth and tenth homers of the season in the eighth. Boston had basically waved the white flag by then, with shortstop Andrew Monasterio even pitching. The Yankees snagged three out of four against a Red Sox team that had seemed unstoppable since July, dominating both the weekend series and the season series against their rivals.
So, the Padres need to figure out their bullpen quick if they want to hold onto any wild-card hopes, while the Rays are still cruising. The Yankees just put a massive statement on the Red Sox, leaving fans wondering if Boston’s hot streak has finally cooled.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Fox Sports.
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