SAN DIEGO (AP) — Matt Szczur doesn’t get many chances at the plate. So, he didn’t waste his opportunity with the game on the line Wednesday night.
Szczur hit a go-ahead RBI double in the seventh inning and San Diego’s bullpen pitched four scoreless innings to lift the Padres past the Washington Nationals 2-1.
Padres manager Andy Green penciled in Szczur against lefty starter Gio Gonzalez and it paid off.
“Andy has faith in me and knows I will get the job done when he puts me in there,” said Szczur, who made his sixth start of the season and had only 37 at-bats coming in.