Manny Machado came through for the San Diego Padres in more ways than one during their 10-2 demolition of the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday. With San Diego leading against the Dodgers, things started to get ugly in the stadium in the seventh inning, with fans throwing objects into the field, including a ball and beer cans.

Manny Machado fires up Padres in Game 2 amid stadium turbulence

San Diego Padres outfielder Fernando Tatis Jr. (23) celebrates with third baseman Manny Machado (13) after hitting a two run home run in the ninth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers during game two of the NLDS for the 2024 MLB Playoffs at Dodger Stadium.
Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

 

Padres manager Mike Shildt got out of the dugout to talk to crew chief Dan Bellino about the concerning situation regarding the behavior of the crowd at Dodger Stadium, which caused a delay that ran for some 10 minutes in the seventh frame. Machado later took the opportunity to talk to his teammates just to help his team keep its focus on the task, per Ken Rosenthal and Andy McCullough of The Athletic.

“Dodgers fans had little reason to cheer for the rest of the evening. Unaffected by the delay, Yu Darvish completed the seventh inning to finish a sterling performance. In the top of the eighth, Machado gathered his teammates around him in the dugout. He urged them to remain focused despite the evening’s tumult. The offense responded with a pair of homers in the eighth and two more in the ninth.”

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The Padres added to their lead in the eighth inning with Jackson Merrill lifting a two-run home run that drove Machado's only run of the evening. Later on, Xander Bogaerts launched a solo blast that went 387 feet deep to give San Diego a comfortable six-run lead heading into the ninth inning.

“Manny got the boys together and said his thing,” Padres shortstop Xander Bogaerts said of Machado.

It is also worth noting that Machado got into a back-and-forth with Dodgers starter Jack Flaherty in the sixth and eighth innings, adding more spice to what is an already flavorful series between two division rivals.

Machado hasn't been hitting well since the start of the postseason, as he batting just .176/.176/.412 with a home run an four RBIs in the 2024 MLB playoffs thus far but he's certainly a big plus in the locker room (and in the dugout) for the Padres, who will take their turn in hosting the Dodgers this Tuesday.