Padres thwart D-Backs' wild rally via Profar, Machado heroics
SAN DIEGO (AP) — All-Star Jurickson Profar hit a tying home run leading off the ninth inning and Manny Machado walked it off with a two-run shot in the San Diego Padres’ wild 10-8 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday night.
The Diamondbacks had stunned the Padres by rallying from a five-run deficit in the top of the inning to take an 8-7 lead on Alek Thomas’ first career grand slam with one out and pinch-hitter Randal Grichuk’s go-ahead, two-run shot with two outs, both off Robert Suarez.
But Profar hit his 13th homer to right-center on a 3-2 pitch from Paul Sewald (0-2). Jake Cronenworth walked and was replaced by pinch runner Tyler Wade. Machado then hit his 12th homer, to left-center to send the crowd of 47,171 — the largest in Petco Park history — into a frenzy.
“This team is built that way. We’re going to fight,” Machado said.
“We had our best three players go up there and do it. We created havoc like we’ve been doing all year. We’ve got the best player in baseball right now going up there and leading it off. He tied up the game and gave us the chance to go out and win it in the same inning.”
Machado said his walk-off homer “is up there with the best ones I’ve had.”
Profar is having a career year at 31 and on a $1 million contract. He was voted an All-Star starter for the first time.
“We’re making it normal, right? We’re showing who we are as a team,” Profar said. “We don’t quit. We’re built that way. We’ve got dudes in the lineup, you know?”
With the Padres leading 7-2, Enyel De Los Santos loaded the bases with one out in the ninth and made way for Suarez. Thomas drove Suarez’s first pitch to right-center to make it 7-6. Corbin Carroll doubled with two outs before Grichuk drove a shot into the third-floor balcony of the brick warehouse in the left-field corner.
The Padres had taken their big lead thanks to Jackson Merrill’s go-ahead, two-run triple in the fourth inning and Kyle Higashioka’s two-run home run in the sixth.
Merrill, the NL Rookie of the Month for June, and Higashioka each drove in three runs. Higashioka and Machado had three hits apiece.
Merrill’s triple off Slade Cecconi rattled around the right field corner. The rookie raced around the bases, lost his helmet, slid headfirst into third, popped up, hollered and gestured to his teammates. It brought in Jake Cronenworth and Machado, who opened the inning with singles, for a 3-2 lead.
David Peralta, who played his first 8 1/2 big league seasons in Arizona, doubled to right to bring in Merrill. Higashioka singled with two outs to score Peralta.
Higashioka homered to left with one out in the sixth, his 10th. It tied his career high and was the 50th of his career.
Higashioka and starter Randy Vásquez were part of the haul the Padres received from the New York Yankees in the blockbuster Juan Soto trade on Dec. 7.
Merrill hit a sacrifice fly in the second to bring in Machado.
Vásquez went 6 1/3 innings a week after a comebacker off the forearm knocked him out of his start at Boston. He allowed two runs on six hits, struck out six and walked one.
Vásquez allowed Joc Pederson’s two-run homer with one out in the first, his 13th, before settling down.
He allowed just one Diamondbacks baserunner to reach scoring position the rest of his outing.
Cecconi allowed five runs and eight hits in 4 2/3 innings.
Stephen Kolek (3-0) got the last out in the top of the ninth for the victory.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Padres: Manager Mike Shildt says it’s unlikely that RF Fernando Tatis Jr. will play in the All-Star Game due to a stress reaction in his right thigh bone that sent him to the injured list on June 24. Tatis said then that he could be out until after the All-Star break. He was voted an NL starter along with LF Jurickson Profar. ... C Luis Campusano was activated from the 10-day IL and INF Eguy Rosario was optioned to Triple-A El Paso.
UP NEXT
Diamondbacks RHP Brandon Pfaadt (3-6, 4.28 ERA) and Padres RHP Matt Waldron (5-7, 3.56) are scheduled to start Saturday night.
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