Jackson Merrill, Padres look to keep having 'fun' vs. Pirates

Most experts consider Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander Paul Skenes as the favorite to win the National League Rookie of the Year award.

But San Diego Padres center fielder Jackson Merrill is doing his best to make voters think otherwise. He captured NL Player of the Week honors Monday and then saved the Padres' 2-1 win over Pittsburgh with a diving catch to take away a potential game-tying hit from Bryan Reynolds for the final out of the game.

Merrill, 21, will try to create more magic in San Diego on Tuesday night when the teams meet in the second contest of their three-game series.

"Any big situation, he is ready for it," Padres third baseman Manny Machado said. "He is different, man."

While Merrill went hitless in three at-bats Monday evening, he's still batting .289 with 17 homers and 64 RBIs while stealing 13 bases this season. He's also providing strong defensive play in his first professional year in center field.

No less an authority than 1975 American League Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player Fred Lynn said Merrill should beat out Skenes, citing the fact that outfielder has an impact on every game.

For his part, Merrill downplays any potential individual accomplishment in order to talk about winning.

"Just playing the game, you know? There's nothing else I can say other than I am playing the game and having fun," he said.

It's easy to have fun when your team has won 17 of its last 20 games, as the Padres have. They'll look to keep rolling Tuesday behind right-hander Michael King (9-6, 3.34 ERA). He made his lone career appearance against Pittsburgh on Wednesday night, allowing four runs on six hits in five innings of a no-decision in his team's 9-8, 10-inning victory.

While San Diego continues to challenge for the NL West title and maintain a playoff position, the Pirates desperately need any kind of win to end an eight-game skid. A lack of clutch hitting doomed them Monday night as they were 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position.

"We're in every game," Pittsburgh manager Derek Shelton said recently. "We're battling. We're battling back. We just haven't been able to finish games, and we've got to do that."

Shelton and the Pirates hope they can find the winning formula with Luis L. Ortiz (5-2, 3.40 ERA) getting the start on Tuesday. The right-hander faced the Padres on Thursday, working six innings and yielding four runs in his team's 7-6 loss. He is 0-0 with a 6.75 ERA in two career encounters vs. San Diego.

That Thursday setback was one of 24 one-run losses for Pittsburgh this year, second only to the Chicago White Sox (25). The Pirates have suffered five of those during its current losing streak, which has dropped the team six games behind Atlanta in the race for the final NL wild-card spot.

The Pirates wasted a good start Monday night by Jake Woodford. Replacing Marco Gonzales (forearm), who went on the 60-day injured list with a season-ending injury, Woodford lasted a career-high six innings and allowed just one run but still ate the loss.

--Field Level Media