Robert Suarez blows save in Padres loss vs. Tigers

SAN DIEGO — The Padres have won all manner of close games this season. Their bullpen has been utterly reliable since it added several key pieces at last month’s Trade Deadline.

As such, the ending to Thursday’s series finale against Detroit didn’t merely qualify as a surprise. It was downright stunning — and a significant blow to the Padres in the National League playoff picture.

With the Tigers trailing by three runs and down to their final strike, Parker Meadows launched a go-ahead grand slam against closer Robert Suarez. Detroit would hold on for a 4-3 victory before a dazed Petco Park crowd. It marked the first time the Padres have lost a game in which their starting pitcher handed their bullpen a lead since June 2.

“He’s been fantastic for us,” Padres manager Mike Shildt said of Suarez. “Let’s give him his due, he’s been tremendous. I wouldn’t say he’s spoiled us, but nothing’s automatic in this game.”

The Padres had been presented with a glorious chance to gain ground in the playoff race. The Braves and Diamondbacks lost on Thursday, while the Dodgers and Mets had the night off.

Instead, San Diego dropped five games behind L.A. in the NL West race, while maintaining its half-game edge on Arizona for the top Wild Card spot — three games up on New York and Atlanta.

“Suarez has been doing a great job all year,” said left-hander Martín Pérez, who started. “That’s part of the game. We just won the series, that’s a good thing. Just be ready for tomorrow.”

The Padres led for eight innings after Jurickson Profar’s first-inning home run. Xander Bogaerts followed with a two-run shot in the second. From there, Pérez was excellent, helping to save the bullpen a night after San Diego used seven relievers on Wednesday.

Pérez worked 6 1/3 scoreless innings before Jason Adam and Tanner Scott nailed down the seventh and eighth, respectively. But Suarez, pitching for the fourth time in five days, allowed a leadoff single and a pair of walks. With two outs, Meadows came to the plate.

“I faced him last night, knew he had a good heater,” Meadows said. “I took a couple big swings in the at-bat. So I tried to settle it down and not try to do too much.”

Suarez threw Meadows six fastballs — each of them 100 mph or harder. His 3-2 offering was a 100.7 mph heater at the top of the zone, on the outside corner.

“I felt it was a good pitch,” Suarez said through interpreter Pedro Gutierrez. “It was exactly where I wanted it, and he put a good swing on it. Those things happen.”

Except with Suarez, those things don’t happen often. Thursday marked only the third time this season that he’d blown a save in the ninth. Suarez hadn’t done so since July 5 against the Diamondbacks.

This season, Suarez has thrown more innings (56 2/3) than he has since 2021, when he was pitching in Japan.

Not that Suarez was about to use any of that as an excuse. He acknowledged fatigue after throwing 26 pitches on the night. But overall, he’s not feeling any effects of the grind.

“I feel strong,” Suarez said. “I feel healthy, and I feel ready to go for the end of the season.”

Since trading for Scott, Adam and Bryan Hoeing ahead of the Trade Deadline, the Padres haven’t endured many nights like this one. Entering play Thursday, the Padres’ bullpen ERA ranked second in the NL. Suarez, of course, is a major part of that. He entered the night with a 1.93 mark.

“Just turn over the page,” Suarez said. “Tomorrow’s a new day, a new game. Just got to be prepared for tomorrow.”

The right attitude, sure. But after such a heavy workload, Suarez seems unlikely to pitch on Friday.

In fact, that series opener against the Giants could prove to be a bit of a challenge for Shildt. Adam, Scott and Suarez have all pitched four games in five. Estrada — who relieved Suarez after the slam — has also pitched two straight.

Those are San Diego’s four highest leverage arms, leaving questions about who might be available at the back end Friday. The Padres have weathered plenty of challenges already this season. With 20 games left, it’s time for another.