Robert Suarez earns five-out save vs. Cubs

CHICAGO — Mike Shildt sorted through a few adjectives to describe closer Robert Suarez’s performance Monday night against the Cubs.

“Colossal. Is that big enough? Huge, epic. I don’t know,” the Padres’ manager said. “… I mean, that was tremendous.”

Suarez came up clutch in San Diego’s series opener on the North Side, converting the second five-out save of his career in the Padres’ 6-3 victory over the Cubs.

Suarez’s other five-out save was April 3 against the Cardinals. Previous Padres closer Josh Hader never had a save beyond three outs in his 1 1/2 seasons with San Diego.

“It was huge. It changed the timing of the game,” Fernando Tatis Jr. said of Suarez. “The guy is a baller.”

Suarez last pitched on Wednesday and was well-rested, but it seemed like the Padres wouldn’t need him Monday. They took a 6-0 lead with a six-run sixth inning, but momentum shifted toward the Cubs. Christopher Morel cut into the lead with a two-run homer in the sixth, and Yan Gomes made it 6-3 with a solo shot in the seventh.

After Wandy Peralta walked Cubs slugger Patrick Wisdom to lead off the bottom of the eighth, Shildt called on Jeremiah Estrada. The Cubs loaded the bases with one out, and Shildt went to the ace of his bullpen with the top of the Cubs’ order looming.

“I always try to be positive when I go out to do my job, whether there’s runners on or not,” Suarez said through an interpreter. “Stay focused, just try to dominate the hitter, dominate whoever’s in front of me and just take it from there without allowing a run.”

Suarez worked that to perfection. The right-hander faced five batters and struck out three of them. His four-seam fastball averaged 99.4 mph and topped out at 100.2.

“The most important thing is it had been four days with rest,” said Suarez, who’s 11-for-11 in save opportunities this year and has a 0.59 ERA in 14 appearances. “So, mentally, physically, I was prepared for as much as it would be, and it was five outs. It was really good to see.”

Suarez made quick work of Gomes, striking him out with a 99.4 mph four-seamer in a four-pitch sequence. He got Nico Hoerner to pop out to shortstop Ha-Seong Kim on a 99.2 mph four-seamer.

In the ninth inning, Mike Tauchman put up an eight-pitch battle in which Suarez threw seven heaters. He set down Tauchman (99.9 mph) and Ian Happ (99.8 mph) on heaters — the former swinging on a pitch at the letters and the latter looking on the inner half thigh-high.

Morel flied out to center field to end the game.

Suarez said he prepares himself each day to help out the team however he can, whether that’s getting three outs or more. With an outing such as Monday’s, how much rest he’ll need between outings depends on factors, including pitch count.

He threw 20 pitches, his third-most in an outing this season.

“[Tuesday], I’ll see how I feel and take it from there and hopefully be able to help out the team,” Suarez said.