SAN FRANCISCO \u2014 Michael King put in a strong seven. The offense did too.<\/p>\n
This was going to be one of the rare games that Adrian Morej\u00f3n and\/or Mason Miller were going to get to rest.<\/p>\n
Nope. That is not how it goes for the Padres this season.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s fine. Just ask them.<\/p>\n
\u201cJust answer the bell when it\u2019s our turn,\u201d Miller said after his 36th save, tied for most in the National League.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo problem,\u201d Morej\u00f3n said after his 70th appearance, another dominant eighth inning.<\/p>\n
The Padres conjured up a little bit of everything in putting together their sixth consecutive victory, a mostly commanding but then suddenly stressful 7-6 triumph over the Giants on Saturday afternoon.<\/p>\n
In the beginning, King picked himself up. In the middle, the Padres offense backed him up. At the end, Morej\u00f3n and Miller locked it down.<\/p>\n
After Bradgley Rodriguez replaced King at the start of the eighth inning and allowed three runs on two homers without recording an out, Morej\u00f3n retired the next three batters and Miller worked a 1-2-3 ninth.<\/p>\n
That concluded the Padres\u2019 43rd one-run game, third most in the major leagues. It was the eighth\u00a0 time in 13 games that has been the final margin, and it was their fifth consecutive victory in a game decided by one run.\u00a0 Morej\u00f3n has worked all five of those, Miller four.<\/p>\n
When the Padres were gifted a run in the top of the seventh inning and King survived the bottom of the seventh, manager Craig Stammen and pitching coach Ruben Niebla entertained thoughts of being able to get through the final three innings without one or both of the two back-end stalwarts.<\/p>\n
Morej\u00f3n had already worked five of the previous eight games over eight days, including in Friday\u2019s 7-5 victory. Miller had thrown 27 pitches Friday and worked four of the previous eight days.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s crazy the amount of talent that we have down there,\u201d King said of the bullpen. \u201cAll the trust that we have in them. We\u2019ve definitely asked them to do a ton, come into so many different situations, and we always feel confident having them get out of it. So I definitely try every time I\u2019m out there to give a little breather to them. But I know they get abused, and they\u2019ve been really good throughout it.\u201d<\/p>\n
That wasn\u2019t the only way Saturday\u2019s victory was built in a familiar manner.<\/p>\n
It was the Padres\u2019 24th victory in a game in which they trailed by two or more runs, tying the franchise record they set last season. It was the 41st time they came back to win a game this season, tied for fourth most in the major leagues.<\/p>\n
But this one, which assured the Padres would at least maintain their half-game lead over the Diamondbacks in the race for the NL\u2019s final playoff spot, was also somewhat unique in its composition.<\/p>\n