SAN DIEGO — Rookie Jackson Merrill homered off Edwin Díaz with one out in the ninth to lift the San Diego Padres to a dramatic 3-2 win on Sunday against the New York Mets and a split of a four-game series between teams in playoff contention.
Merrill drove a 2-0 slider from Díaz (5-2) deep into the seats in right and then started an emphatic trot. He slammed down his bat, pointed to the Padres’ dugout and slapped five with Jurickson Profar, who hit a tying two-run shot in the eighth. He pointed to the Padres’ bullpen and pumped his right fist as he rounded second and was then greeted by a wild celebration after touching home.
It was the 19th homer for Merrill, a 21-year-old who is pushing Pittsburgh’s Paul Skenes for NL Rookie of the Year.
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“He’s that guy,” Profar said. “He has it. Every time he steps up to the plate like that … everyone in the dugout called it.”
Jake Cronenworth struck out before Merrill went yard.
Merrill once again deflected attention away from himself when asked how the walk-off homer felt.
“Same thing as every day we win: We won the game. That is what it felt like. Any thoughts on myself, or anything, that’s all for the team,” he said.
Cronenworth whispered something to Merrill before he went to the plate.
“I’m trying to be more in the zone, swinging at better pitches, and him telling what was happening with the pitches, it helped,” Merrill said.
Merrill was a prized shortstop prospect when the Padres converted him to center field in spring training to fill the hole left when Trent Grisham was sent to the New York Yankees along with Juan Soto in a blockbuster trade in December. Merrill made the opening-day lineup and has dazzled with his bat and glove.
“I’ve said it a lot of times, since I stepped on the field with him in spring training, he showed me that he’s that type of guy,” said Profar, who is having a career year at age 31 and on a $1 million contract.
Merrill said slapping five with Profar “was cool. But we’re here for each other. It’s not just one person that did it.”
It was Merrill’s second walk-off homer. The Padres have 33 comeback wins and eight walk-offs.
Robert Suarez (8-1) pitched a perfect ninth for the win.
The Padres beat the Mets for just the second time in seven games this year.
“It was big. They’ve been beating us,” Profar said. “We got swept over there in New York and they were on the brink of winning another series against us. We had to win this one.”
The Padres are in the NL’s second wild-card spot, while the Mets trail Atlanta for the third spot. New York now heads to Arizona for a three-game series against the Diamondbacks, who have surged into the top spot by winning six straight games.
San Diego eliminated the 101-win Mets in a 2022 wild-card matchup en route to an appearance in the NL Championship Series.
The Mets had taken a 2-0 lead on homers by J.D. Martinez and Mark Vientos.
After the Padres blew a big scoring chance in the seventh, Profar homered to right off José Buttó with one out in the eighth and Mason McCoy aboard on a walk. It was his career-high 21st, and the fifth time he hit a tying homer this season.
Martinez homered to center with two outs in the fourth, his 15th.
Left-hander Martín Pérez then walked the bottom three batters in the Mets’ order to load the bases ahead of Francisco Lindor, who hit a grand slam and a solo shot in Saturday night’s 7-1 win. Manager Mike Shildt summoned Bryan Hoeing, who struck out Lindor.
Vientos homered to center with one out in the seventh, his 21st.
Mets second baseman Jose Iglesias made a sensational play in the sixth when he dove to field Profar’s hard shot and, while lying on his stomach, reached back with his left foot to touch the bag and force Mason McCoy. Lindor, the shortstop, came over and slapped five with Iglesias and hugged him.
The Padres failed to capitalize on a big scoring chance after chasing lefty Jose Quintana in the seventh. Manny Machado hit a leadoff single and Merrill walked with one out, and manager Carlos Mendoza called for Buttó. Pinch-hitter David Peralta hit a ball just foul past third base and then another ball just foul past first base.
While Shildt was hollering at the umpires, Merrill broke for second but over-slid the bag and was tagged out by a diving Lindor on Luis Torrens’ throw. Lindor showed the ump the ball and then slapped the ground four times with his glove and pumped his right fist.
Quintana held San Diego to four hits in 6 1/3 scoreless innings.
Pérez allowed one run and four hits in 3 2/3 innings.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Mets: Placed RHP Paul Blackburn on the 15-day injured list and recalled Huascar Brazobán. Blackburn has a bruised right hand after getting hit by Peralta’s line drive Friday night.
Padres: RHP Yu Darvish threw 54 pitches in a live batting practice session. He said he’ll travel with the team to St. Louis and Tampa, but doesn’t know when he’ll be ready to be activated from the IL.
UP NEXT
Mets: LHP Sean Manaea (9-5, 3.48 ERA) is scheduled to start Tuesday night in the opener of a three-game series at Arizona, opposite LHP Eduardo Rodriguez (2-0, 3.94).
Padres: Haven’t named a starter for Monday night’s game that opens a four-game series at St. Louis.
