Merrill’s 3-run homer, Higashioka’s 2-run shot lead Padres to 9-2 win over Red Sox
San Diego Padres' Jackson Merrill, front right, follows through on his three-run home run in front of Boston Red Sox catcher Connor Wong during the fifth inning of a baseball game, Friday, June 28. 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)
BOSTON (AP) — Jackson Merrill hit a three-run homer and Kyle Higashioka added a two-run shot in a nine-run fifth inning, leading the San Diego Padres to a 9-2 win over the Boston Red Sox on Friday night.
“That was the most dope moment ever,” said Merrill, who grew up a Red Sox fan and was playing his first game at Fenway Park. “I don’t usually like to talk about what I do. I like to talk about the wins, but that was probably the dopest moment. I’ve watched so many games here, growing up a big Red Sox fan, to come in and hit a homer, that’s an unreal feeling."
San Diego Padres' Jackson Merrill (3) celebrates after his three-run home run with Jurickson Profar, right, during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Boston Red Sox, Friday, June 28. 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)
The Padres sent 13 batters to the plate in the fifth, with nine scoring on eight hits and two walks. The first nine batters reached base safely. Every batter in the Padres starting lineup had at least one hit and scored a run.
San Diego Padres closer Yuki Matsui throws during the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Boston Red Sox, Friday, June 28. 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)
The nine runs scored matches the most in an inning for the Padres this season. They also scored nine runs in the eighth inning on May 31 against the Kansas City Royals. The nine runs allowed surpassed Boston’s previous season high of seven runs scored by the Toronto Blue Jays in the third inning on Tuesday.
“A lot going on,” Padres manager Mike Schildt said of the fifth inning. “We talk about, you can never have enough runs. So, we stay hungry to get more. We want to continue to add on as much as possible all the time.”
After Nick Pivetta (4-5) gave up four hits — including Higashioka’s ninth homer of the season — and a walk to open the fifth, he was replaced by Greg Weissert, who gave up four straight hits including two-run singles to Jake Cronenworth and Donovan Solano and Merrill’s 11th homer of the season.
“The sweeper didn’t perform in that inning,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said of Pivetta’s pitch. “Just wasn’t able to execute and everything happened so fast. I’m usually not that aggressive bringing in the bullpen, but I wanted to give them a different look with the lefty there. It was still early in the game.”
San Diego Padres closer Yuki Matsui throws during the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Boston Red Sox, Friday, June 28. 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)
Pivetta called his outing "dissatisfying.”
“I was hanging pitches in the middle of the zone and they took advantage of it because they’re a good baseball team," he said.
Right-hander Randy Vásquez started for the Padres and went four-plus innings, giving up one run on five hits and a walk with one strikeout. He was replaced by Wandy Peralta after Ceddanne Rafaela’s comebacker hit him on his pitching arm and he suffered a forearm contusion.
San Diego Padres' Donovan Solano runs on his two-run RBI single during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Boston Red Sox, Friday, June 28. 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)
“Thankfully, X-rays negative, no fracture or anything. Got him in the forearm pretty good,” Schildt said. “That was a shame because this guy was pitching really well.”
Right-hander Stephen Kolek (2-0) threw two scoreless innings, giving up a hit with two strikeouts.
Connor Wong’s two-out single scored Wilyer Abreu from second base in the fourth to give Boston a 1-0 lead. Rafael Devers hit his 17th home run of the season in the sixth.
Boston Red Sox third baseman Rafael Devers, left, throws to first base on a single by Manny Machado during the fifth inning of a baseball game, Friday, June 28. 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)
Xander Bogaerts, who won two World Series titles in his 10 seasons in Boston, received a standing ovation from the Fenway crowd after the Red Sox showed a video tribute before the second inning. It was his first time back since signing with the Padres as a free agent in December 2022.
San Diego Padres starting pitcher Randy Vásquez, center, holds his arm between teammates catcher Kyle Higashioka, second from left, and first baseman Luis Arraez (4) after deflecting the line-drive single by Boston Red Sox's Ceddanne Rafaela during the fifth inning of a baseball game, Friday, June 28. 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)
ROSTER MOVES
The Red Sox reinstated C Connor Wong from the paternity list and called up LHP Bailey Horn from Triple-A Worcester. C Tyler Heineman and RHP Isaiah Campbell were optioned to Worcester on Thursday.
Boston Red Sox's Rafael Devers, right, watches his solo home run in front of San Diego Padres catcher Kyle Higashioka, center, during the sixth inning of a baseball game, Friday, June 28. 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)
TRAINER’S ROOM
Padres: LHP Tom Cosgrove was placed on the 15-day injured list, retroactive to June 27, with left elbow inflammation. LHP Austin Davis was called up from Triple-A El Paso to take his spot on the roster. … RHP Joe Musgrove, out since May 29 with right elbow inflammation, was transferred from the 15-day IL to the 60-day IL.
Boston Red Sox relief pitcher Greg Weissert (57) reacts after giving up a three-run home run to San Diego Padres' Jackson Merrill, second from left, during the fifth inning of a baseball game, Friday, June 28. 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)
UP NEXT
The Red Sox and Padres continue their three-game series on Saturday. RHP Tanner Houck (7-5, 2.18 ERA) is scheduled to start for Boston, opposed by RHP Michael King (5-5, 3.75).
San Diego Padres' Kyle Higashioka right, celebrates his two-run home run that scored Ha-Seong Kim, left, in front of Boston Red Sox catcher Connor Wong during the fifth inning of a baseball game Friday, June 28. 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)
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