Padres drop second game to Rays, lose Luis Rengifo with knee injury

The San Diego Padres were able to build a 6-3 lead over the Tampa Bay Rays thanks to a three-run top of the seventh inning. The Rays responded with a four-run bottom of the seventh inning, which handed the Padres a 7-6 loss at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburgh on Saturday. The loss is critical to San Diego’s push for the postseason, but even worse was the loss of Luis Rengifo who was injured and carted off the field in bottom of the seventh.

Bradgley Rodriguez started the seventh inning on the mound for the Padres with a 6-3 lead. San Diego appeared to have the recipe for a win in place. Rodriguez would work the seventh and pass the ball to Adrian Morejon in the eighth and eventually Mason Miller in the ninth if it was still a three-run game to secure a win. Rodriguez immediately got into trouble with a walk and back-to-back singles to load the bases. Yandy Diaz then lined a ball over the head of Jackson Merrill in centerfield that one-hopped the wall. Merrill threw the ball back to the infield where Rengifo took the ball at second base.

Tampa Bay had a runner caught between second and third and Rengifo ran toward him. At the same time, the runner on third base sprinted toward home and when Rengifo planted to stop his momentum and throw to the plate, he suffered what manager Craig Stammen said after the game was a knee sprain. The throw from Rengifo sailed past home plate and allowed the tying runs to score to tie the game at 6-6.

After a long injury delay and Rengifo being driven off the field while lying on his back on the cart, Stammen replaced Rodriguez with Adrian Morejon since there were no outs in the inning and the winning run on third base. Morejon induced a groundout for the first out of the inning and then allowed an intentional walk to setup the double play possibility. Morejon struck out Ryan Vilade for the second out of the inning but then allowed a single to Chandler Simpson which put the Rays ahead of the Padres, 7-6. The inning ended on a strikeout one batter later.

San Diego appeared deflated after the injury to Rengifo and surrendering the lead and went down in order in the top of the eighth. Manny Machado drew a one-out walk in the top of the ninth, but Ty France followed with a strikeout and Merrill grounded out to end the game.

The Padres will have an opportunity to salvage the series today at 10:40 a.m. before they depart for a three-game set with the Cincinnati Reds to finish the road trip.

Padres DSL team is in position to win back-to-back titles.

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