Manny Machado wasnât about to let the Miami Marlins walk away with an easy winâespecially not at Petco Park in front of all the Friars fans. In the eighth inning, he crushed a 406-foot home run that sent the home crowd into a frenzy.
The stadiumâs frenzy was palpable. Then, in the top of the ninth inning, the Padres pushed the Marlins into an extended bottom half of that inning. Machadoâs decisive home run came precisely in his 861st game as a Padres player.
The game ended 4â3, a relief for Manny Machado, who finished the night with a .319 batting average after going 1-for-4 with a run scored, a home run, a walk, and just one strikeout against the Marlinsâ pitching staff.
Another homer for Machado
Machado now has six home runs on the year, and his shot against the Marlins marked his second straight game with a moonshot. He also went deep in the previous game against the Braves â a 5â3 Padres win. Machado has now launched three home runs over his last four games.
That win over the Marlins likely brought some relief to Machado and the rest of the team, as it snapped a frustrating three-game losing streak at Petco Park â a skid that dated back to May 18, when they were swept at home by the Mariners.
Padres gaining momentum
San Diego is now 30â22 on the season and enjoying a modest two-game win streak â something they hadnât accomplished since May 13, when they beat the Angels in back-to-back games. The Padres currently sit second in the NL West behind the Dodgers.
