CALL FEMA, I’D LIKE TO REPORT A DISASTER

Call FEMA.

I’d like to report a disaster.

The Padres got swept by the Tampa Bay Rays this weekend, and Sunday’s finale was a certifiable disaster.

A clown show of errors culminating in one of the strangest plays you’re ever going to see in a baseball game.

The Padres were leading 3-1 in the bottom of the ninth. Two outs. One runner on.

Mason Miller was on the mound.

Jonny DeLuca hit a deep fly ball toward left field. Padres left fielder Samad Taylor ran it down, got to the wall, got his glove on it and appeared to make the catch.

Game over.

Except it wasn’t.

Taylor’s momentum carried him into the wall, the ball came out of his glove and went over the fence.

Two-run homer.

Tie game.

You can’t make this stuff up.

DON’T BLAME SAMAD TAYLOR

Here’s the thing.

I’m not really blaming Taylor for this one.

DeLuca hit a blast toward the left-field corner. Just getting there and getting his glove on the ball was a great play.

Dropping it over the fence?

Not so great.

But the real disaster happened before the ball ever got to Taylor.

Mason Miller threw an 88.4 mph slider right into the absolute crush zone.

Miller had been having success throwing his 103 mph fastball and keeping his sliders down. The Padres were one out away from winning the game.

And then this disastrous slider lazily dropped right into a spot that was basically asking DeLuca to crush it.

He did.

Can’t happen.

Especially in the ninth inning of a game you absolutely need to win.

SOMEHOW, THE PADRES STILL HAD ANOTHER CHANCE

After all of that, the Padres still weren’t dead.

They eventually retook the lead in the top of the 11th.

Manny Machado started at second, moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on a Ty France sacrifice fly.

4-3 Padres.

Maybe they were actually going to escape this disaster.

Nope.

David Morgan came in for the bottom of the 11th and the Rays immediately started causing problems.

Liam Hicks singled. A stolen base and an intentional walk eventually loaded the bases.

Then DeLuca hit a ground ball to Xander Bogaerts.

Bogaerts dropped it.

Tie game.

The very next batter, Jorge Mateo, lined a walk-off single into left.

Rays 5. Padres 4.

Sweep complete.

Morgan didn’t pitch well in that inning either. The Bogaerts error was obviously huge, but when you’re handed a lead in the 11th inning in the middle of a Wild Card race, somebody has to shut the door.

Nobody did.

THE WHOLE WEEKEND WAS JACKED

Friday was the Casey Mize disaster we talked about Saturday.

Seven runs in five innings, although only two were earned.

Saturday the Padres blew a 6-3 lead and lost 7-6. Luis Rengifo also went down with a knee sprain during another chaotic defensive play.

Then Sunday happened.

The Padres actually entered the ninth inning 59-0 when leading after eight innings this season.

Make that 59-1.

AND THE WILD CARD RACE ISN’T WAITING

This is what makes the timing so bad.

The Padres are now 72-65.

Arizona is 73-65.

The Diamondbacks have gone from chasing the Padres to moving half a game ahead of them while San Diego was getting swept.

We said Arizona refused to go away.

Well, they didn’t.

Now the Padres are the ones who need to respond.

AROUND SPORTS

The NFL finished its roster-cut weekend, with teams getting down to their 53-man rosters. The 49ers were among the teams making moves, releasing linebacker Deion Jones and veteran cornerback Eli Apple.

College football is officially underway, and USC opened its season with a 42-26 win over San Jose State.

And the U.S. Open rolls on today.

That’s it.

Call FEMA.

The Padres just experienced a three-day baseball disaster in Tampa Bay.

But there are still 25 games left.

Unjack yourselves.

If it’s sports and it’s Jacked Up, we cover it.