The grand slams, they keep a’ comin’ for the San Diego Padres.
This time it was Manny Machado and it was an extra-inning walk-off at Petco Park.
The third baseman took a 3-2 pitch deep in the 10th inning Wednesday, giving the Padres a 6-3 win over the Texas Rangers.
Jurickson Profar started the inning on second, then Ranger Rafael Montero (0-1) walked Trent Grisham and Fernando Tatis Jr.
Machado followed by hitting the Padres’ third grand slam in three days. Credit Tatis and Wil Myers with the other two.
MANNY MACHADO CALLED GAME! #PADRESWIN@Padres | #FriarFaithful pic.twitter.com/pobCUrdUMg
— Fox Sports San Diego (@FOXSportsSD) August 20, 2020
The Padres won each of those games after suffering through a five-game skid.
Wednesday’s homer was a landmark for other reasons, according to MLB.com:
- The Padres never have hit grand slams in three straight contests before.
- The last time a team can boast of the accomplishment? In 2006 – Chicago White Sox.
- But that’s an American League team. You’ve got to reach way back – try a century – for a National League team that hit three slams in three games. That would be the Cleveland Spiders in 1895.
The Padres had given up a 2-1 lead in the top of the ninth when Ranger Joey Gallo hit a solo shot off reliever Matt Strahm to tie it up. The Rangers snagged a 3-2 lead in the 10th before Machado could perform his heroics.
Tatis also extended his MLB home-run lead by hitting his 12th in the third inning.
You’ve been told, so maybe it’s time that you learned.#FriarFaithful pic.twitter.com/seXVvh6iMF
— San Diego Padres (@Padres) August 20, 2020
With the win, the Padres tied the Colorado Rockies for second place in the NL West, four games behind the division leaders, the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Dinelson Lamet takes the mound at 5:10 p.m. Thursday as Kyle Gibson tries to salvage a win for the Rangers. The Padres will have played four games this week with the team, split between Texas and San Diego.
The Houston Astros follow the Rangers into town Friday.
– Staff reports