The San Diego Padres beat the New York Mets 7-4 on Wednesday, forcing a rubber match on Thursday. Manny Machado hit a grand slam to break a 2-2 tie in the fifth inning, launching the Padres to victory. As the Wild Card Series approaches, Machado dropped a firm take about September baseball, per AJ Cassavell of MLB.com.
“This was a big one for us. Every game from now on is a big one,” Machado said.
The win brought the Padres within two games of the Los Angeles Dodgers for the NL West lead. They have been within striking distance for weeks, but have not taken advantage. Machado spoke on the division race with just ten days to go.
“I think we had a chance to take it over a long time ago, and we didn’t. So, at this point, it’s just: Worry about us. Go out there and just play our best game.”
The Padres will look to take the series on Thursday afternoon, which would not only tighten the NL West race but also create chaos in the NL Wild Card race. The Mets hold the final Wild Card spot, with a 1.5-game advantage over the Arizona Diamondbacks. A loss on Thursday would put Arizona in a great spot to jump into the postseason.
The Padres will put Randy Vazquez on the mound against Mets rookie Jonah Tong. The last time Tong took the mound, he allowed six runs against the Texas Rangers without getting out of the first inning. While the rookies in the rotation have revived the Mets, Tong's recent start is a reason for concern.
Machado has put together a stellar season, with 26 homers, 92 RBI, and an .809 OPS. If he runs into some more homers down the stretch, he could crack 30 homers for the eighth time in his career.
