The rain was not done Friday, falling on Petco Park as the Padres were set to begin their series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The rare Petco Park rain delay – the teams began the contest about 40 minutes past the 6:40 scheduled start thanks to the effects of Hurricane Kay – led to a long evening as the Padres and Dodgers battled until the 10th inning when the Friars won 5-4 on a walk-off single byJake Cronenworth.
“We need to win these games down the stretch to get where we want to be. This is a good start,” the second baseman told Bally Sports San Diego.
Once the game got started, the Padres fell behind quickly, on a first inning Freddie Freeman solo home run.
Trent Grisham put the Padres ahead the next inning with one swing. His three-run blast drove in Cronenworth and Wil Myers, but the Dodgers struck back quickly, manufacturing two runs in the third and going ahead on a Trayce Thompson solo shot in the fourth.
The Padres tied it up in the fifth, and a rare fielding error by Mookie Betts contributed. Manny Machado singled – he ended up on third thanks to the miscue – and Juan Soto, who had walked, scored.
The 4-4 tie held, and the game went into extras. But in the 10th inning, with Juan Soto taking his spot at second, the Dodgers elected to walk Manny Machado. Josh Bell struck out, but Cronenworth followed with a single to right. Betts’ throw was up the line and Soto scored easily for the win.
The series continues Saturday with Blake Snell going against Julio UrÃas and concludes Sunday with Joe Musgrove facing Andrew Heaney.