A COVID-19 outbreak that sidelined star shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. and three other key position players hasn’t slowed the San Diego Padres in the slightest.
On Sunday, it was a cast of call-ups that came up big for the Padres. Among them: Rookie Ivan Castillo, who had a pinch RBI single for his first big league hit to cap a go-ahead, four-run rally in the fourth inning of a 5-3 victory against the NL Central-leading St. Louis Cardinals that completed a three-game sweep.
Kwung Hyun Kim (1-1) allowed four runs, one earned, and two hits in 3 1/3 innings, with three strikeouts and three walks.
LF Tyler O’Neill, who misjudged Grisham’s RBI double in the sixth, later left the game with what the team said was left hand/finger discomfort.
RHP John Gant (2-3, 1.83 ERA) is scheduled to start Tuesday night in the opener of a two-game home series against the Pittsburgh Pirates, who will counter with RHP JT Brubaker (3-2, 2.58), 5:50 with the pregame and the first pitch at 6:45 on KIRX.