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San Diego Padres walk away with 11-inning win

By Walter Villa, The Sports Xchange
San Diego Padres interim manager Pat Murphy (24). Photo by Archie Carpenter/UPI
San Diego Padres interim manager Pat Murphy (24). Photo by Archie Carpenter/UPI | License Photo

MIAMI -- Walk this way ... and that way ... and that way ... and that way.

Cue up the Aerosmith song because the San Diego Padres drew four straight walks in the top of the 11th inning, leading to a five-run rally and an 8-3 win over the Miami Marlins on Friday night at Marlins Park.

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"I think they are starting to believe in themselves even more, pitch to pitch," Padres interim manager Pat Murphy said of his players. "We did a good job offensively just taking what they gave us. If they give you a ball, you take it."

The winning RBI went to first baseman Yonder Alonso, a former University of Miami standout.

Alonso walked on four pitches from Marlins closer A.J. Ramos, who got into the jam by allowing center fielder Will Venable to stroke a leadoff single. Venable stole second and advanced to third when catcher J.T. Realmuto's throw got away for an error.

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San Diego scored five runs in the inning, including a two-run single by second baseman Jedd Gyorko, who went 3-for-4 with three RBIs. Gyorko has three consecutive multi-hit games.

Venable singled twice in the 11th -- his only two hits of the night.

"Will got it all started," Gyorko said. "We had some awesome at-bats. We battled on pitches."

The Padres would have won in the ninth if not for a blown save by closer Craig Kimbrel, who got the first two outs before giving up a game-tying, solo home run to left fielder Derek Dietrich.

Kimbrel, seeking his 31st save of the season, gave up the home run to Dietrich on a 97 mph fastball. Dietrich pulled a 1-1 pitch to the upper deck in right field.

Before that pitch, the story had been Padres right-hander Ian Kennedy.

On the day his fourth daughter was born, Kennedy doubled, scored a run and pitched seven strong innings, allowing four hits, two walks and two runs.

With the 4 p.m. ET trading deadline looming, Kennedy was mentioned often as one of the players the Padres could decide to move. But no trade for Kennedy was made.

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When his wife, Allison, went into labor, he was scratched from the start so he could go home. But he was put back on the lineup card when rainy conditions in Miami made it impossible for him to get out of town in time.

"He was the one who called us back and said, 'Hey, I want to pitch,'" Murphy said of Kennedy. "That tells you a lot. He was at the airport, going to see the birth of his daughter. He did get to see it -- on FaceTime."

The newborn's name is Evelyn Nicole.

Kennedy, perhaps lacking a bit of focus early -- understandable, given everything that was going on -- fell behind 2-0 in the first inning.

Marlins second baseman Dee Gordon led off by drawing just his 13th walk of the season. He stole second -- steal No. 34 of the year -- and scored on center fielder Christian Yelich's homer over the 418-foot sign in center. It was his sixth homer of the season.

Kennedy led off the third with his double to right, fouling off four two-strike pitches in an impressive 10-pitch at-bat against Marlins starter David Phelps. Kennedy then scored on a one-out single by third baseman Yangervis Solarte.

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"Pitchers are probably hitting .900 off me this year," Phelps said sarcastically.

San Diego took a 3-2 lead in the fourth, getting an RBI single from Gyorko and a sacrifice fly from shortstop Alexi Amarista.

Dietrich's homer in the ninth tied the score 3-3. It was the second time in his career that Dietrich had hit a game-tying, ninth-inning solo home run. He also did it in 2013 against the Chicago White Sox.

"Derek stepped up big, two outs, to hit a blast like that," Marlins manager Dan Jennings said. "You felt the momentum was swinging our way."

The Padres, however, took the momentum back, grinding out at-bats and walking to victory.

NOTES: Miami traded RHP Dan Haren and cash to the Chicago Cubs for two minor-league prospects: RHP Ivan Pineyro and SS Elliot Soto. Haren, 34, was 7-7 with a 3.42 ERA in 21 starts this season. ... Miami traded RHP Sam Dyson to the Texas Rangers for two minor-league prospects: C Tomas Telis and LHP Cody Ege. Dyson, 27, had a 3.68 ERA for the Marlins this season, appearing in 44 games. ... Miami released INF Jeff Baker, 34, who was hitting .208. ... Miami called up rookie RHP Jose Urena, who will start on Saturday. ... San Diego traded reserve OF Abraham Almonte to the Cleveland Indians for LHP Marc Rzepczynski. Almonte, 26, was hitting just .204. Rzepczynski, a 29-year-old reliever, had a 4.43 ERA. ... Marlins INF Donovan Solano was reinstated from the paternity list. ... RHPs Jeff Brigham, Victor Araujo and Kevin Guzman -- the prospects the Marlins got when they traded RHP Mat Latos and 1B Michael Morse to the Dodgers on Thursday -- all reported to Miami's Class A affiliates.

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