The Los Angeles Dodgers won their ninth consecutive series against the San Diego Padres thanks to back-to-back victories over the weekend that have them on the doorstep of clinching a 2022 MLB postseason berth.
Although not much went right for the Padres following their walk-off win in the series opener at Petco Park, Manny Machado continued to produce, going 5-for-10 with two home runs in the three-game set. The six-time All-Star is now batting .301/.369/.411 with 28 home runs, 90 RBI and 87 runs scored in 130 games this season.
When the Dodgers were trying to avoid a loss in extra innings on Friday, Machado was intentionally walked to lead off the bottom of the 10th. Heath Hembree struck out Josh Bell but then gave up a game-winning RBI single to Jake Cronenworth.
“He’s showing right now why he’s one of the elite players in the game,” manager Dave Roberts said of Machado. “He’s a plus, plus defender, a Platinum Glove winner, and when he’s in the box seeing it like he is, it just seems like he’s on everything.
“Right-handers, left-handers, if you make a mistake, he’s going to put a good swing on it. We certainly have to be mindful of that.”
Julio Urías credits Manny Machado
Both of Machado’s homers in the latest series against the Dodgers came off Julio Urías, which provided the only offense for the Padres until they broke through for two more runs against Hembree in the ninth inning once the game already was in hand.
“You have to tip your hat to him,” Urías said through a translator. “He’s obviously a very good hitter and he’s seeing me really well. Hopefully down the road if I see him again, I’ll look at the video to make adjustments and see if we can get him out.”
In his career against Urías, Machado has hit .304/.333/.826 with four home runs and seven RBI in 24 plate appearances. Overall this season, the 30-year-old third baseman is batting .259 with four home runs, five RBI and six runs scored across 16 games against the Dodgers.
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