Their road trip did not start on a promising note, but if they complete the sweep in Detroit Sunday, the Padres have a chance to make it a winner.
The Friars routed the Tigers 14-3 Saturday on the strength of two big innings, as they pounded out 18 hits, three of them home runs.
Luis Campusano, just off the injured list, had a four-hit day, as he drove in four, three of them on an eighth-inning homer to pad the final score.
Juan Soto remained hot, going 2-for-5 and driving in three, a night after he homered twice in the Padres 5-4 win to open the series.
He briefly took over the team home run lead from Manny Machado, but the star infielder surged back Saturday to share the top spot with Soto.
They both were part of the Padres’ big third inning, which erased Detroit’s 3-0 lead. Soto doubled to drive in Fernando Tatis Jr., setting things up for Machado who homered to left to give the Friars a 4-3 advantage.
They put the game out of reach thanks to a five-run fifth, highlighted by a run-scoring triple by Jake Cronenworth and a two-run single by Soto.
The beneficiary of all that offense? Rookie Jackson Wolf, 24, making his big-league debut. He logged his first win after going five innings – despite a rain delay – and giving up three runs on six hits. Wolf told MLB.com, “I’m a competitor, man.”
“For my debut I wasn’t going to leave after an inning, giving up three runs. I wanted every bit of going back out there and proving why I was here,” he said.
Wolf’s promotion was just one of a flurry of moves by the Padres this week, including reinstating reliever Robert Suarez who has been out all year with elbow inflammation. The set-up man pitched Friday, keeping the Tigers in check in a tight 5-4 game. Closer Josh Hader followed, logging his 24th save.
The team, though, had bad news about two other pitchers. Reiss Knehr’s season is over – he needs Tommy John surgery, and Alek Jacob will have a stint on the injured list due to an inflamed elbow.
Meanwhile, the Padres also sent Austin Nola and Brandon Dixon to Triple-A El Paso and designated Rougned Odor and Domingo Tapia for assignment.
Joe Musgrove takes the mound Sunday before the Padres return home for the first time since before the All-Star Break to host the Pittsburgh Pirates.
