Padres beat Brewers with another big inning, another comeback

It was just before the big inning that Padres starter Joe Musgrove appeared to find what he had been searching for all night and for much of the season.

Musgrove threw 21 pitches in the first inning, as the Brewers took a 1-0 lead on three singles and a walk. He threw 19 more in a second inning in which he surrendered two singles and a two-run homer to Jackson Chourio. It was not a three-run homer because Blake Perkins made a mistake (or two) and Tatis made a perfect throw and Tyler Wade made a perfect tag.

Perkins’ error was in sliding headfirst into second base after taking off on a hit-and-run despite Joey Ortiz having singled through the right side. Arguably, his second gaffe was choosing to get up and try for third when it was Tatis fielding the ball. It did take a 96 mph one-hop strike by Tatis that Wade caught and in one motion swiped Perkins’ leg just before he touched the bag.

The play kept the third career homer by Chourio, MLB’s youngest player, from hurting more.

The Padres, meanwhile, were going down quickly against Ross, a former Padres minor leaguer traded in 2014 along with Trea Turner in the deal that brought Wil Myers to San Diego. Ross, who has worked his way back from two Tommy John surgeries, got through the first three innings in 31 pitches.

Cronenworth began the fourth with a walk, moved to third on a single by Machado and, after Profar popped out, scored when Kim beat out a fielder’s choice grounder.

Musgrove, who was at 59 pitches after three innings, took five pitches to get through the fourth.

After sitting for nearly a half-hour, he walked two batters in the fifth before ending the inning with a double play grounder. He retired the Brewers in order in the sixth, improbably finishing his second quality start of the season before Enyel De Los Santos worked a scoreless seventh, Stephen Kolek got the next five outs and Robert Suarez came in with runners on first and second.

After an infield single by Contreras that loaded the bases, Suarez ended the game and secured his sixth save by getting Sal Frelick on a fly ball to left field.

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