Burger homers for third straight game, Marlins win 7-6 to snap Padres' seven-game win streak
Jake Burger homered for the third straight game, Jesús Sánchez also had a home run and the Miami Marlins beat San Diego 7-6 on Sunday to end the Padres' seven-game win streak.
Burger has homered 12 times since the All-Star break. He did it in just 23 games, surpassing Giancarlo Stanton for the fastest in club history. Stanton accomplished it during his 59-homer and NL MVP season in 2017.
"My wife texted me after the game and said, 'Are you even human now?'" Burger said. "Obviously, I've always felt I'm one of the best power hitters in the game. I'm not immune knowing this is not going to last forever. But If I can keep myself in these types of zones for a longer period, I feel I'll have a real good career."
Ha-Seong Kim originally was credited with a game-tying home run off Andrew Nardi when his drive first bounced off the padding in left field, then left fielder Kyle Stowers' glove and over the wall with two outs in the ninth. But after an umpire review, the call was reversed to a double.
"Weird one. I was just trying to go after it and catch the ball as simply put and thought I put a good attempt at it," Stowers said. "It was out of my reach and the way it bounced back up as it was coming down it hit my glove."
Padres manager Mike Schildt said he didn't receive a detailed breakdown from crew chief Bill Miller on the reversal.
"He gave me no explanation — overturned ground-rule double," Schildt said. "I think they got it right. Whether I agree with the rule or don't agree with the rule, it's a tough play because of the timing of it. The ball went over the fence, didn't touch the ground. Feels like a home run. But the rule tells you differently."
George Soriano relieved Nardi and struck out Luis Campusano for his first save as Miami snapped a three-game skid, with all the losses in extra innings.
"The whole series and the whole homestand was emotionally and physically exhausting," Marlins manager Skip Schumaker said. "If I'm gassed, I can't imagine what our players feel. There were some really tough, end-of-the-game, extra-inning losses and then to come back like that is incredible."
Marlins starter Max Meyer (3-2) allowed three runs and seven hits, while striking out four in a career-high 6 1/3 innings. Meyer was lifted after David Peralta's run-scoring double got San Diego within 5-4.
"I was able to keep my fastball in play through the whole game and felt I got some teeth back on my slider," Meyer said of his fourth start since being recalled from Triple-A on July 27. "I definitely felt a lot better on the mound."
Sánchez's two-run drive off reliever Yuki Matsui in the seventh extended Miami's lead before San Diego narrowed the deficit on pinch-hitter Donovan Solano's two-run drive off Nardi in the eighth.
Luis Arraez had three hits for the Padres. He went 7 for 15 in the series against his former club.
The Marlins scored five against Padres starter Dylan Cease (11-9) in the first two innings before the right-hander settled down and kept them scoreless through the final three innings of his outing. Three of the runs charged to Cease were unearned after two Padres errors in the second. Cease gave up six hits, struck out five and walked two.
Run-scoring singles by Jonah Bride and Otto López in the first put Miami ahead 2-0.
Burger's two-run drive capped a three-run second. Xavier Edwards reached when Arraez dropped shortstop Kim's throw to first that also allowed Derek Hill to score from third before Burger connected
The Padres began narrowing the deficit with RBI groundouts from Peralta in the fifth and Jurickson Prufar and Jake Cronenworth in the sixth.
"You're down 5-0 last day of the road trip, day game and this is what makes me so pleased about this club," Schildt said. "This is what makes me so pleased about the trait of this club. Irrespective of circumstance, road, score, day, night, hot and cold, they're going to compete."
Both benches cleared at the end of the fourth after Miami second baseman Otto López objected at Cronenworth's hard slide at the bag to break up a double play but no punches were thrown.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Marlins: LHP Josh Simpson (left elbow neuritis) completed his second rehab outing with Single-A Jupiter on Saturday, throwing one scoreless inning.
UP NEXT
Padres: Return home Monday, when RHP Joe Musgrove (3-4, 5.66) will start the opener of a three-game series against Pittsburgh. The Pirates have not announced a starter.
Marlins: Have not announced a starter for the opener of a two-game set at Philadelphia on Tuesday. The Phillies also have not listed a starter.