Marvelous Machado powers Padres to comfortable win

After a road trip filled with close wins and minimal offense, all of that changed on Sunday for the San Diego Padres. They exploded for 17 hits and ten runs, finishing off a 7-2 road trip with their first sweep in San Francisco since 2016. Manny Machado saw just seven pitches, turning them into four extra-base hits, Wil Myers stayed hot with a three-hit day, and MacKenzie Gore had another stellar start to rout the Giants.

The Padres scored early, as Wil Myers brought home Manny Machado on a 107.2 mile per hour line drive. Machado had started his day off with a 110.5 mile per hour double as the Padres handled Giants starter Alex Wood. Jake Cronenworth brought Ha-Seong Kim home in the second, doubling the lead. Cronenworth and Kim were one of five Padres players who had multi-hit days. Jurickson Profar also added two hits, including a fifth-inning double. 

The fourth inning was the big one for the Padres, as they scored five runs, blowing the game open. They sent ten batters to the plate, the first four of which all reached base. Cronenworth’s second RBI of the game brought Austin Nola in before Machado pushed Jose Azocaer and Cronenworth to extend the lead to five. Wil Myers hit a laser beam ground-rule double to score two more, giving the Padres a seven-run lead. Myers hit .333 on the road trip, going 12-for-36 with four multi-RBI games and his first home run of the season to help the Padres to the successful road trip.

MacKenzie Gore was stellar on the mound after learning that Mike Clevinger would be placed on the 15-day IL with a triceps strain. Gore will become a major part of the rotation without Clevinger, as he’s been spectacular all season. His ERA lowered down to 2.06, throwing six innings of one-run ball. He allowed three hits and a pair of walks while striking out six batters. The Giants picked up just one hit in the first three innings, but they did get to Gore in the fourth. Darin Ruf walked, and Mike Yastrzemski doubled, putting two runners in scoring position with no outs for the Giants. Wilmer Flores hit a sacrifice fly to score Ruf, but a strikeout and a flyout put a stop to the Giants’ threat. Gore worked his way out of another jam in the fifth when Thairo Estrada ended up on second with no outs. He singled and moved up on a wild pitch, but three quick outs helped Gore out of the frame. He finished his day by recording six consecutive outs, as he touched 98 miles per hour multiple times throughout the outing.

Profar doubled home Machado after he reached via a triple. Before a Kim double and an Azocar RBI groundout added two more in the sixth. All nine Padres starters picked up a hit, and eight of the nine scored a run. Only Eric Hosmer and Jose Azocar did not reach multiple times, as the Padres thoroughly dominated. They had 24 at-bats with runners in scoring position, as they constantly had opportunities to score. Craig Stammen pitched two innings before the recently activated Steven Wilson finished the game with an 11 pitch ninth. 

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The Padres had an awe-inspiring road trip. They were without their manager, Bob Melvin, for six of the nine games as he recovered from his prostate surgery. They faced the defending World Series champions in Atlanta, and a talented lineup in Philadelphia before finishing out with a strong Giants team. After excelling against a soft schedule, the Padres showed that they could play with the very best.

They’ll get an opportunity to continue their four-game winning streak as they take on the NL Central-leading Milwaukee Brewers on Monday.

Sam Evans

Sam is a Senior in High School. He has been writing for three years, and started at EVT in June of 2021. He’s headed to Syracuse’s Newhouse School of Communications in the fall of 2023.