Field Level Media
Aug 23, 2020
Manny Machado hit a two-run home run in the eighth Sunday afternoon to break a 3-3 tie and lead the streaking San Diego Padres to a 5-3 win over the visiting Houston Astros at Petco Park.
The Padres' seventh straight win completed a three-game sweep of the Astros. It is the Padres' longest winning streak since 2013.
Shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr., who had made a sensational catch of a George Springer pop fly in left in the top of the inning, hit a bloop single to open the bottom of the eighth off Enoli Paredes.
Machado then drove his eighth homer of the season -- and his second in two games -- over the fence in right-center.
San Diego used the equivalent of a bullpen start to out-duel Padres nemesis Zack Greinke.
Right-hander Craig Stammen (3-1), the fifth of six Padres pitchers, retired all four Astros he faced to earn the win. Emilio Pagan picked up his second save of the season -- and his second of the series -- with a perfect ninth.
Padres relievers retired the last 14 Astros they faced. Luis Patino, Cal Quantrill, Tim Hill, Stammen and Pagan allowed no runs on two hits over 7 1/3 innings.
Houston, which had won eight straight games coming into the series, jumped out to a 3-0 lead against left-handed Padres starter Adrian Morejon in the first.
Springer drew a lead-off walk, moved to second on Jose Altuve's ground out in front of the plate and scored on Carlos Correa's single. Kyle Tucker followed with a two-run homer.
After Greinke held the Padres hitless for the first three innings -- and threw a 54-mph Eephus pitch to Trent Grisham for a strike -- San Diego tied the game in an unusual bottom of the fourth.
Tatis opened the inning with a single to center. With one out, Tatis scored from first on Eric Hosmer's double into the right-field corner. After Wil Myers drew a walk, Jake Cronenworth singled, driving home Hosmer with Myers going to third.
At that point, on an unusually warm (85 degrees) and humid afternoon in San Diego, Greinke walked off the mound and headed for the dugout after complaining to the umpires about a hole on the mound. While the hole was patched, Greinke sat in the dugout. Shortly after returning to the mound, Greinke gave up a ground ball to first to Jurickson Profar, with Myers scoring to tie the game.
Greinke allowed three runs on four hits and two walks with four strikeouts in six innings. Parades (1-1) took the loss.
--Field Level Media