The Padres signed Manny Machado to help San Diego win championships. To do that, the Friars have to figure out how to beat the 6-time defending National League West champion Dodgers.
Machado is certainly doing his part so far. Now if only the bullpen could stop coughing up leads they’ll be able to start beating L.A.
Machado hit a pair of home runs and drove in three but the Padres lost 7-6 in front of a sellout crowd of 44,558 at Petco Park.
Just like they did against Clayton Kershaw on Friday night the Padres got out to an early lead. Machado hit his first homer in the 1st inning off L.A. starter Rich Hill. His second bomb came in the 3rd inning to put the Padres on top 3-1.
But in the 6th inning San Diego starter Joey Lucchesi ran into trouble again. An infield single and a walk prompted manager Andy Green to pull him for reliever Brad Wieck.
That move did not work out. Max Muncy crushed a 3-run homer to right field to put the Dodgers on top 4-3. Wieck gave up two more runs on three more hits to give L.A. a 5-run inning and a 6-3 lead.
In the past that would have been more than enough to give the Dodgers a win over the team they’ve dominated for the better part of 50 years. On this night that was not the case.
In the bottom of the 6th inning the Padres put together a rally of their own. Eric Hosmer led off with a single then rookie Ty France put together a 14-pitch at-bat against Joe Kelly. The former Aztec finally won the battle with a double down the left field line to score Hosmer and cut the lead to 6-4.
Austin Hedges walked and then Poway High School alum Alex Dickerson lined a pinch-hit single to left field to load the bases. It was Dickerson’s first big league knock since 2016. He missed the last two seasons with back and elbow injuries.
Ian Kinsler was hit by a pitch and Machado drew a walk to force in two more runs and tie it up 6-6. It stayed that way until the 9th inning.
Green brought in closer Kirby Yates in a non-save situation for the second straight night. For the second straight night Yates gave up the winning run. Yates allowed a leadoff single to Justin Turner then lost his command. Kirby walked Max Muncy, hit Russell Martin with a pitch and walked Alex Verdugo to bring in the game-winning run.
After going 14-for-14 in save chances Yates has lost two straight when being used in tie games in the 9th inning.
The Padres try to avoid getting swept on Sunday when rookie Nick Magevicious gets his first start against the Dodgers. L.A. will send veteran Kenta Maeda to the mound.
