Padres’ offense explodes in 10-2 win
Credit: AP Photo
The San Diego Padres used two four-run innings to push themselves past the Houston Astros, 10-2.
Facing left-handed starting pitcher Framber Valdez, Padres manager Jayce Tingler stacked the lineup with right-handed bats to combat Valdez and his curveball/sinker combo.
In the second inning, the Padres sat back on Valdez and drove the ball to right field for four hits in the inning. Combining that with two hit-by-pitches, San Diego got across four runs to move in front 4-2.
“We clicked today,” Manny Machado said. “Finally hit with runners in scoring position, so it was a good day for the offense.”
Previously on Ready To Fly… pic.twitter.com/BOaHu5D2gf
— San Diego Padres (@Padres) September 5, 2021
After not scoring from innings three to six, Valdez finally left the game, and in came Christian Javier. The Padres did not greet Javier nicely in the seventh inning. Fernando Tatis Jr. walked with one out to bring up Machado. He sent the ball to the moon to give the Padres’ bullpen some much-needed padding. Then, Wil Myers came up following a Jake Cronenworth walk and hit a home run of his into the Western Metal Supply Co. to make the score 8-2.
The runs did not stop in the eighth inning, as the Padres added two more runs to put the cherry on top of a dominant win. It wouldn’t be a home run party without Tatis Jr., as he hit a 115 MPH home run to the second deck.
Fernando. 444 feet. 🚀 . pic.twitter.com/JRIUkatwGh
— San Diego Padres (@Padres) September 5, 2021
The offense will get the headlines, but the pitching staff impressed mightily against the potent Astros lineup.
Now established ace, Joe Musgrove got the ball Saturday and struggled early. He allowed a run each of the first two innings and looked to not have his best stuff. Despite a slow start, Musgrove git through 5 1/3 innings and allowed just the two early runs.
“I thought he got stronger, as he usually does, as the game went on,” Tingler said. “[The Astros] have a really tough lineup and how he was able to navigate it after allowing the runs early. And it feels like the series so far we get two outs, and then [the Astros] were able to string something together.”
Tingler turned the ball over to the bullpen, and they recorded 11 outs without allowing any runs. Tim Hill through one pitch and turned a double play, Pierce Johnson stranded two runners, and then Daniel Hudson and Austin Adams closed the door. None of the bullpen relievers allowed any hits.
The series finale will be on Sunday, with Chris Paddack looking for another solid start. He’ll face American League Rookie of the Year candidate Luis Garcia for the Astros. The first pitch is at 1:10 PT.
Dominic is a graduate of Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication, with a bachelor’s degree in Sports Journalism. He also is the producer and co-host of the “Padres EVT Podcast.”