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The San Diego Padres are all smiles on this Fourth of July after crapping out a comeback victory, beating the Texas Rangers 3-2 one extra innings at Petco Park. Things weren't always looking up for the Padres, but Jake Cronenworth gave them a win in the 10th inning with a walk-off single to drive in Jackson Merrill.
Fireworks in San Diego 🎆
Jake Cronenworth walks it off for the @Padres! pic.twitter.com/JqQCLVQ4Br
— MLB (@MLB) July 5, 2025
With this win, the Padres get off on the right foot in a critical three-game set against the Rangers over the holiday weekend in front of their home fans.
Earlier in the game, Cronenworth had a chance to give his team the lead in the late innings. With the bases loaded in the bottom of the sixth and the game tied at two after Luis Arraez drove in Fernando Tatis Jr. with an RBI single, Xander Bogearts and Cronenworth both struck out in back-to-back plate appearances, allowing the Rangers to get out of the jam.
After the game, Cronenworth talked about bouncing back from that moment to deliver when his team needed him most.
Jake Cronenworth spoke with @SammyLev about his mindset entering his final at-bat and the importance of the final homestand before the All-Star break: pic.twitter.com/ZymJVTxKTY
— 97.3 The Fan (@973TheFanSD) July 5, 2025
“It's a tough at-bat,” Cronenworth said. “There were tough at-bats all day. I had the opportunity in the seventh or eighth, bases loaded two outs, and didn't get it done. It's not too often you get a chance to do it again and get the job done.”
The hit also turned around what was a pretty brutal day at the plate for Cronenworth coming into extra innings. Before the walk-off, he was o-for-4 at the plate with a pair of strikeouts, including that one with the bases juiced in the sixth. However, all of that will be forgotten now after his clutch heroics at the end of the game.
While it may seem insignificant in the context of a 162-game season, every game is crucial for the Padres at this point. They are right smack in the middle of a very crowded playoff race in the National League.
At the moment, the Padres are eight games back of the Los Angeles Dodgers for the top spot in the NL West, but the race for the NL Wild Card is more important for them. San Diego is currently holding onto the last spot in the field, with multiple teams right on its tail. As a result, wins like these can make a big difference at the end of the season.
