Just your everyday 9-3 putout ? pic.twitter.com/A23SsR7aab
— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) March 31, 2019
SAN DIEGO – It’s rare you hear a crowd go from pure excitement to pure shock as quickly as the PETCO Park crowd did in the bottom of the second inning on Sunday. But that’s exactly what happened when the Padres had the bases loaded and their rookie pitcher Chris Paddack up to bat.
After Jeff Samardzija walked Wil Myers, he had a run saved thanks to a fortuitous bounce off the Padres’ ballgirl’s stool in left field. Manuel Margot shot a double that was heading for the left-field corner with the speedy Myers sure to come home had the ball not kicked right to Yangervis Solarte in left field.
This set up an intentional walk to Austin Hedges, leaving Paddack, who at this point in the third inning, has five strikeouts and no hits allowed, up to bat with a chance to help himself out. And for a moment, it looked like that’s exactly what Paddack had done, as he hit a ball over the head of Joe Panik and into right field.
Unfortunately for Panik, veteran right fielder Gerardo Parra scooped the ball up off one hop and wheeled it in on a line right to Brandon Belt, catching Paddack out, and stunning the PETCO Park crowd. It also marked Parra’s 100th career outfield assist, according to Andrew Baggarly.
What a way to get your 100th career outfield assist. The Padres are stunned.
— Andrew Baggarly (@extrabaggs) March 31, 2019
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