Manny Machado’s two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth inning Friday night lifted the San Diego Padres to a 10-8 win over the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks.
Arizona overcame a 7-2 deficit in the top of the ninth. Alek Thomas whacked a grand slam off closer Robert Suarez with one out to pull it within a run. After Corbin Carroll doubled with two outs, pinch-hitter Randal Grichuk drilled a two-run homer to give it a one-run lead.
But Diamondbacks closer Paul Sewald (0-2) couldn’t even get an out in the bottom of the inning. Jurickson Profar led off with a game-tying homer to right, his 13th of the year. After Jake Cronenworth worked a walk, Machado lofted his 12th homer into the left-center-field bleachers.
Stephen Kolek (3-0) got the last out of the top of the ninth to earn the win as San Diego won for the 12th time in 15 games in front of a Petco Park-record crowd of 47,171.
San Diego took the lead during a four-run fourth inning. Jackson Merrill gave it a 3-2 edge by lining a two-run triple to the right field corner that scored Cronenworth and Machado.
David Peralta followed with an RBI double down the right field line that cashed in Merrill, then scored when Kyle Higashioka grounded a two-out single to left.
Higashioka made it 7-2 in the sixth when he cracked a two-run homer to left-center off reliever Joe Jacques.
Merrill knocked in the Padres’ first run in the second on a groundout to short that plated Machado, who led off with a double and reached third on Donovan Solano’s infield out.
Arizona initiated scoring three batters into the game. Carroll led off with a double and trotted home one out later when Joc Pederson belted a two-run homer to center, his 13th of the season.
Neither starter was involved in the decision. Slade Cecconi worked 4 2/3 innings for the Diamondbacks, permitting eight hits and five runs with a walk and two strikeouts.
San Diego’s Randy Vasquez pitched 6 1/3 innings, scattering six hits and allowing two runs. He walked one and fanned six.
–Field Level Media