NEW YORK (AP) — Joe Musgrove disregarded chants of “Cheater!” after a abnormal spot take a look at by way of umpires at the mound, pitching his hometown San Diego Padres into the following around of the playoffs Sunday night time with seven innings of one-hit ball in a 6-0 victory over the New York Mets.
Trent Grisham hit an RBI unmarried and made an amazing catch in heart box that helped the Padres take the best-of-three National League wild-card sequence 2-1. Austin Nola and Juan Soto each and every had a two-run unmarried.
San Diego complex to stand the top-seeded Los Angeles Dodgers in a best-of-five Division Series starting Tuesday — making sure the Padres will play in entrance in their house lovers within the postseason for the 1st time in 16 years once they go back to Petco Park for Game 3.
“We know that. We would love for them to be able to see some postseason games,” supervisor Bob Melvin mentioned Sunday afternoon. “To an extent, we feel like they’re a part of us.”
It was once the 5th time the Padres have received a playoff sequence. They took a first-round matchup in opposition to St. Louis in their very own ballpark and not using a lovers authorized after the pandemic-shortened 2020 season earlier than being swept within the Division Series by way of the eventual World Series champion Dodgers.
For the Mets, a scintillating season ended with a whimper at house in entrance of empty seats. Baseball’s greatest spenders received 101 video games — the second-most in franchise historical past — however had been not able to carry off Atlanta within the NL East after sitting atop the department for all however six days.
New York was once up by way of 10 1/2 video games on June 1 and seven on Aug. 10 earlier than in the end ceding keep an eye on final weekend. The protecting World Series champions snatched away their 5th consecutive department identify and a first-round playoff bye at the energy of a head-to-head sweep in Atlanta — and the Mets by no means absolutely recovered.
New York ace Max Scherzer were given rocked in a Game 1 loss to San Diego and, after the Mets received Game 2 in the back of Jacob deGrom to stave off removing, they mustered virtually not anything in opposition to Musgrove and completed with one hit within the loss.
No. 3 starter Chris Bassitt lasted simply 4 innings, giving up 3 runs and 3 hits with 3 pricey walks to batters close to the ground of the order.
Pete Alonso’s leadoff unmarried within the 5th and Starling Marte’s stroll to start out the 7th had been the one baserunners authorized by way of Musgrove in his first postseason get started.
Robert Suarez and Josh Hader completed up for the Padres.
Musgrove grew up a Padres fan within the San Diego suburbs and pitched the franchise’s first no-hitter final yr in his moment get started with the crew.
He was once operating on a one-hitter and warming up for the 6th inning Sunday when Mets supervisor Buck Showalter got here out of the dugout and spoke to first base umpire Alfonso Marquez.
All six umps huddled and then went to the mound as Marquez, the group leader, felt Musgrove’s glove, cap — even his ears — it seems that on the lookout for any unlawful sticky ingredients.
The spin fee was once up on all six of Musgrove’s pitches. Umpires let him proceed, and he labored a 1-2-3 6th.
Fans yelled “Cheater!” at Musgrove, a member of the 2017 Houston Astros World Series champions that had been discovered by way of Major League Baseball to have stolen indicators illegally to lend a hand their hitters.
The Astros’ dishonest scandal rocked the game. Musgrove has mentioned he feels uncomfortable dressed in his championship ring and needs “one that feels earned” with the Padres.
“I guarantee Musgrove has Red Hot on his ears,” Milwaukee outfielder Andrew McCutchen tweeted. “Pitchers use it as mechanism to stay locked in during games. It burns like crazy and IDK why some guys thinks it helps them but in no way is it `sticky.’ Buck is smart tho. Could be trying to just throw him off.”
THINKING OF MR. PADRE
During batting apply, San Diego moment baseman Jake Cronenworth wore an old-school Tony Gwynn No. 19 uniform T-shirt, a giveaway at Petco Park at some point this season.
“We all got ‘em,” Cronenworth said. “Usually a lot of us wear ’em, but I think everybody’s wearing hoodies today.”
Cronenworth, then again, figured this was once an afternoon to salute the overdue Padres Hall of Famer.
“It was just in my locker and I brought it with me for a reason, so I decided I’d wear it,” he mentioned. “Tony was one of the best, so give us some support from up above.”
TRAINER’S ROOM
Mets: Francisco Lindor was once shaken up after fouling a ball off the interior of his proper knee within the fourth. As the famous person shortstop was once checked by way of an athletic teacher, supervisor Buck Showalter strolled to the plate, picked up Lindor’s bat and passed it again to him. Lindor stayed within the recreation and struck out.
UP NEXT
San Diego went 5-14 in opposition to the first-place Dodgers this season and completed 22 video games in the back of them within the NL West.
New York starts its spring coaching agenda subsequent yr with split-squad video games Feb. 25 in opposition to Miami and Houston. The regular-season opener is March 30 at Miami.
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