Padres rally past Blue Jays behind Machado's big day, another late France RBI
Eric Evelhoch
Host · Writer
SAN DIEGO – The response by San Diego was swift and immediate after falling behind in the eighth inning, as Ty France recorded the game-winning RBI for the second in a row as the Padres knocked off Toronto 5-4 on Sunday afternoon at Petco Park.
Manny Machado had three hits, including the game-tying single for San Diego (48-48), who notched their 25th come from behind win and hit the All Star break with back-to-back wins over Toronto (45-51).
After giving up the lead in the eighth, the Padres rallied to take it right back their next time up as Xander Bogaerts led off with a single and then stole second as Machado battled through an eight-pitch at bat until coming through with an RBI single to tie the game against reliever Jeff Hoffman.
After reaching second on a ground out by Gavin Sheets where second baseman Ernie Clement didn’t cover the bag, Jase Bowen came in as a pinch runner for Machado and promptly stole third. It set the table for France to deliver the sacrifice fly that made it 5-4 for the Brown and Gold.
Machado had kicked off San Diego’s three-run second with a line-shot single to left, then after Sheets walked, France loaded the bases with a hit. Jake Cronenworth came through with an RBI to tie the game, then after a strikeout, Sun-Mung Song drew the Blue Jays MLB-leading ninth walk with the bases loaded to take the lead. Then starter Kevin Gausman was called for a balk that plated France, pushing the Padres ahead 3-1.
Germán Márquez gave up the first run of the game when Nathan Lukes homered with one down in the first inning, then ran into trouble in the third when he walked Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Kazuma Okamoto back-to-back after getting a lead off fly out. But Márquez was able to strand both, getting a fly out and a short grounder that catcher Rodolfo Durán fielded and fired to first to end the threat.
However Toronto would knot the game an inning later, as Andrés Giménez hit a two-out double and Ernie Clement followed up by hitting his eighth home run, smashing a slider that floated in center-cut into the second basket of the Western Metal Supply Co. building in left field.
Márquez lasted four innings, allowing six hits and three runs while striking out four and allowing a pair of walks. Ron Marinaccio and Kyle Hart each took one of the middle innings, with Marinaccio working around a two-out hit and also getting a strikeout.
Adrian Morejon retired Toronto in order in the seventh, but in the eighth Okamoto led off with a single, then Daulton Varsho reached on a fielder’s choice ground out that erased the Blue Jays rookie. A ground out allowed Varsho to advance, then after an intentional walk to Alejandro Kirk, Jonathan Clase hit a single to center to give Toronto a 4-3 lead. But with the Padres rally, it turned into the seventh win of the season for Morejon, as All Star Mason Miller slammed to door shut with a K for his 25th save.
Gausman kept the Padres bats under wraps outside of the crooked-number in the second, finishing with six innings pitched and allowed the three runs on four hits while walking three and striking out eight.
Former Padre Dylan Cease was announced as the American League’s starting pitcher for the All Star game prior to today’s contest, becoming the first Blue Jay to start the All Star game since Roy Halladay in 2009.
The Padres will have four days off for the All-Star Break, with Mason Miller the lone representative in the midsummer classic for the Brown and Gold. When they return, San Diego will begin a three-city, 10-day road trip. Up first is a three-game set at Kansas City beginning on July 17, then four games against the NL East leading Atlanta, before finally closing the trip with three games at the final wild card spot holder Miami.
