SAN DIEGO — On Tuesday night, Ronny Simón experienced firsthand the cruelest side of sports: with his family present in the stands of Petco Park, the young Dominican infielder committed three defensive errors in just three innings, which were key in the comeback of the San Diego Padres over the Miami Marlins by a score of 8-6.
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Simon, 24 years old and originally from La Romana, Dominican Republic, was removed from the game in tears in the fourth inning, after a series of unfortunate plays that marred a brilliant start for the team, which was winning 6-0. Despite the tough moment, his teammates and coaching staff responded with empathy, embracing him with words of encouragement and support.
“It was a chain of difficult events,” Marlins manager Clayton McCullough said. “We support each other, and we'll just keep moving forward and get ready for the next one. “We'll keep fighting.”In a touching scene, after the third error, McCullough visited the mound not only to speak with the pitcher, but to console Simon, surrounded by teammates who encouraged him as he struggled to hold back tears.
“Things just started to snowball. You know, cumulative effect,” the driver explained after the meeting. “We thought making the change there was prudent simply because of how things had transpired.”
Even from the rival side, Fernando Tatis Jr. offered words of support: “It happens. It's baseball. Everyone who has won a Gold Glove or Platinum Glove has had one of those nights. I know he's a great player.”
The defeat was painful, but the team's message was clear: the baseball family is there to rise in difficult times.