Three innings after entering in a double-switch, Greg Garcia came through in a key moment for the San Diego Padres.
Garcia hit a go-ahead sacrifice fly in a six-run 10th inning, and the Padres beat the Washington Nationals 8-3 to extend their winning streak to five.
“Just because you’re not in the starting nine, there’s a huge role to play before the day is over,” Padres manager Andy Green said. “We’ve won these last two days because of what guys off our bench have done for us.”
Garcia’s first RBI this season gave San Diego a 3-2 lead against Wander Suero (1-3), who was charged with four runs. After a pair of walks loaded the bases, Justin Miller hit Manny Machado with a pitch on the left elbow.
Manuel Margot followed with a two-run single, and Hunter Renfroe hit a sacrifice fly. A second run scored when center fielder Victor Robles’ throw bounced off the glove of catcher Yan Gomes and bounced toward the Padres dugout on the third-base side. Gomes made a sliding grab in an attempt to keep the ball on the field, and crew chief Joe West originally sent Margot back to third. After a five-minute video review, Margot was allowed to score
Luis Perdomo (1-0) struck out the side in the ninth in his second appearance this season. Howie Kendrick homered off Robbie Erlin in the 10th.
San Diego ensured it would win a series against the Nationals for the first time since 2016. The Padres will try Sunday for their first sweep at Washington since 2008.
Stephen Strasburg struck out nine in seven innings, including the side in order in the sixth. He allowed four hits, including Renfroe’s go-ahead, two-run homer in the second. Renfroe’s second homer of the series was his sixth this season.
“Honestly, we just have a deep lineup, period,” Renfroe said. “Even the guys off the bench are well-deserving of playing every day. You know you’re going to have to have a big at-bat at some point in time.”
Juan Soto hit a two-run homer into the second deck in right in the sixth off San Diego starter Eric Lauer who gave up two hits in 5 2/3 innings. Soto’s fifth homer of the year wasn’t enough to help Washington avoid a sixth loss in eight games. The Nationals are last in the majors in bullpen ERA.
“We got a problem in our bullpen and we got to fix it,” Nationals manager Dave Martinez said. “It’s going to take more than two or three guys in that bullpen to step up.”
TRAINER’S ROOM
Nationals: 3B Anthony Rendon was out of the lineup. He went 0 for 3 with a strikeout on Friday after missing the four games with a bruised left elbow, sustained when he was hit by a pitch. Martinez said that Rendon was a little sore and that his absence had nothing to do with being hit by a pitch on his left leg in his first at-bat Friday.
UP NEXT
LHP Joey Lucchesi (3-2), who starts Sunday for San Diego, gave up one run in five innings last May 9 in his only previous start against Washington. Nationals RHP Jeremy Hellickson (2-0, 4.34) is 3-4 with a 5.40 ERA in 10 career starts against San Diego.
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