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WHAT. A. GAME. Against the defending champions Atlanta Braves, San Diego Padres slugger Manny Machado had himself a ball game. The star third baseman bat was on fire, hitting 5-of-6 in the game with one home run and two RBIs. Aside from that, Machado put his legs to good use, nabbing two stolen bases against the Braves.
This 5-hit, 2 SB performance from Machado put him in some elite company in Padres history. According to ESPN Stats and Info, the third baseman is just the third player to have this exact statline in franchise history, alongside Tony Gwynn and Gene Richards.
Manny Machado went 5-6 with 2 stolen bases tonight.
He's the first Padres player with 5 hits & 2 SB in a game since Tony Gwynn (1987).
Machado, Gwynn and Gene Richards (1977) are the only players to do this in franchise history. pic.twitter.com/xVt8Q2QyKq
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) April 15, 2022
Nowadays, stolen bases are rather rare in the MLB. As more and more teams aim for efficiency, stealing bases has become a lost art due to its risk. However, guys like Machado are proving that pulling a Rickey Henderson is still valuable to the league, as his two stolen bases helped the Padres dominate the Braves 12 – 1.
The Padres are looking to bounce back from a rather disappointing 2021 season that saw them fall in the Divisional Round. After acquiring Sean Manaea, they have looked stronger than ever. However, their batting order has to step up, especially with their ace hitter Fernando Tatis Jr. set to miss the first two months of the season.
If Machado keeps up this incredible hitting, the Padres will be back to the postseason in no time. Who knows? Maybe this time, they can exercise their demons and make it all the way back to the NLCS.
