Cease deals and Machado slams as Padres beat Nationals 7-2
Jun 27, 2025; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; San Diego Padres starting pitcher Dylan Cease (84) prepares to pitch against the Cincinnati Reds in the first inning at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images
Washington, D.C.- Nationals Park
The second half begins with the Padres traveling to the nation’s capital. Dylan Cease got the nod to take the Padres out of the All-Star break. Of all the Padres’ starters, Cease needed to start on the right foot the most. His 4.88 ERA and 85 ERA+ in the first half were extremely uncharacteristic.
The Nationals countered with veteran Michael Soroka.
With one out in the top of the second, Jackson Merrill and Xander Bogaerts singled. Merrill took third on the single, which would prove vital. Jake Cronenworth launched a deep fly ball to left field for an RBI sacrifice fly to give the Padres a 1-0 lead.
Cease settled in to produce a dominant start. He looked like the version of Cease the Padres got for much of the 2024 season, including the one who had thrown a no-hitter at Nationals Park.
The last time Dylan Cease pitched at Nationals Park he threw a no-hitter.
Tonight he has 10 Ks through 5 innings 🔥 pic.twitter.com/YJ9Ch4ff8N
— MLB (@MLB) July 19, 2025
Overall, Cease tossed 5 1/3 innings of shutout ball with 10 strikeouts and zero walks. If the Padres were looking for a sign that Cease can still be the near-ace he was last year, he showed it Friday night in D.C.
The score remained 1-0 until Bogaerts led off the seventh with a double. Jake Cronenworth reached on a bunt single. Elias Diaz bunted for an RBI sacrifice to give the Friars a 2-0 advantage.
Manager Mike Shildt turned to All-Star reliever Jason Adam. Whether it was All-Star Week fatigue or just a bad night, Adam did not have his best stuff. While getting just two outs, Adam allowed three hits and walked one. The big hit came from C.J. Abrams, who tied the game at two with a towering homer to right-center—yet another example of the Juan Soto trade biting back at San Diego.
The two teams entered the ninth inning locked at two runs apiece. That was before the Padres unloaded on Washington in the ninth inning. The first two batters reached to put runners on first and third for Diaz. For the second time in the game, Diaz laid down a bunt that ended up scoring a run. With the lead at 3-2, Fernando Tatis Jr. singled and Luis Arraez walked to load the bases for Manny Machado.
What's not to love about Manny Machado? 😭 pic.twitter.com/8m7UNqTTs9
— San Diego Padres (@Padres) July 19, 2025
The Padres famously hit grand slams in an MLB record four games in a row in 2020, becoming known as “Slam Diego.” Also famously, the Padres had gone nearly 100 games without a grand slam this season.
Until Manny Machado,
The seven-time All-Star lined one over the left-center wall for the first grand slam of the season for the Padres and, more importantly, gave them a 7-2 lead.
Wandy Peralta, who came into the eighth inning to clean up Adam’s mess, finished the game with a four-out win with a scoreless ninth.
The Padres open the second half looking much like the team that caught fire in the second half last season on their way to a run to the NLDS.
Native of Escondido, CA. Lived in San Diego area for 20 years. Padres fan since childhood (mid-90s). I have been writing since 2014. I currently live near Seattle, WA and am married to a Seattle sports girl. I wore #19 on my high school baseball team for Tony Gwynn. I am a stats and sports history nerd. I attended BYU on the Idaho campus. I also love Star Wars.