The San Diego Padres robbed themselves of a chance to celebrate star reliever Mason Miller on Wednesday.
Miller threw nine pitches and nine strikes in the eighth inning of Wednesday’s series finale against the Baltimore Orioles. It was the first immaculate inning by a Padres hurler Brian Lawrence since in 2002, and only the second in franchise history.
However, not only did the Padres lose, 8-6, but they were swept in their three games this year against the last-place Orioles. Though Baltimore has been an above-.500 team since the start of June, it still was an embarrassing setback for a team with World Series aspirations.
“Would have been way better if we’d had a two-run lead, but good for Mason,” manager Mike Shildt said, per AJ Cassavell of MLB.com. “It was electric. Slider was unhittable.”
Miller not only threw nine consecutive sliders to strike out Jeremiah Jackson, Ryan Mountcastle, and Emmanuel Rivera, but after a first-pitch take, the last eight pitches were all swings and misses.
“It’s an awesome accomplishment, something I’m proud of for sure,” Miller said, per Cassavell.
Miller’s Padres were working behind the eight-ball because starting pitcher Cortes allowed the Orioles to complete another rare feat: back-to-back-to-back home runs. And it’s hard to celebrate an individual accomplishment when you suffer an inexcusable September sweep.
At 76-64, the Padres entered Thursday just one game ahead of the New York Mets for the third and final National League wild card spot, and more importantly, five games clear of the surging San Francisco Giants, the first team on the bubble.
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