The San Diego Padres got back on track with a win over the Colorado Rockies in Thursday's series opener. San Diego rebounded from back-to-back meltdowns against the Cincinnati Reds by edging out the Rockies 2-0. And Jackson Merrill helped secure the victory with a clutch home run.
Merrill continued his recent hot streak with a two-out solo shot to left off McCade Brown in the fourth inning. After the game, the second-year pro confirmed that going the other way with the ball is a good sign.
“That’s my power. When I’m hitting to the opposite field, that’s when I’m right. If I’m not pulling the ball a bunch and I’m just going all over the field, that’s when I’m completely right,” Merrill said, per 97.3 The Fan.
Jackson Merrill could be key to Padres' division hopes
The Padres center fielder was sidelined by an ankle injury last month. The team placed Merrill on the 10-day IL with the ailment and he missed 14 games. But since returning to the lineup in September, he’s looked more like the player that finished last season with an .826 OPS.
Merrill entered the opener against Colorado slashing .350/.381/.800 in his last five games. He now has two home runs, two doubles, two triples, five RBI and five runs scored since rejoining the Padres.
The key to this turnaround? “Trust myself,” Merrill said. “I think I lost track of how good a hitter I am. I just gotta have confidence in myself and just go ball every day. Play like a little kid, like I always have.”
It’s a welcome addition for a struggling San Diego team. After taking sole possession of first place in the NL West with a win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on August 23, the Padres have gone 6-11. Fortunately for San Diego, the Dodgers haven’t exactly run away with the division. LA is just 9-7 in that same stretch, allowing the Padres to hang around.
Thursday’s victory narrowed the Dodgers’ lead to just 2.5 games. With 15 games remaining on the schedule, San Diego is hoping they can make a push for the division crown. And the Padres need Merrill to step up.
While he credits adjustments for his improvement at the plate, Merrill chose to keep the specifics to himself. “That’s for me and me only. That’s all in my head and that’s all I gotta say.”
