SAN DIEGO (AP) — Juan Soto homered for the third straight game and Manny Machado also connected for the San Diego Padres, who beat San Francisco 4-0 on Sunday to win the final three games of a four-game series against the wild card-contending Giants.
The Padres hit eight homers in the three wins against the Giants, who came into Sunday tied with Arizona for the NL’s final playoff spot. Seth Lugo (6-6) held the Giants to just three hits in six innings and allowed only one baserunner into scoring position. Three relievers finished the combined four-hitter, including Josh Hader striking out the side in the ninth, around one walk, in a non-save situation.
San Diego came into Sunday 6 1/2 back in the wild-card race with four teams ahead of it. The wildly inconsistent Padres have failed to live up to the lofty expectations following their stirring run to the NL Championship Series last year, as well as their $250 million payroll, third-highest in baseball.
The Padres will try to win four straight games for the first time this season on Monday when they welcome Philadelphia, which beat them in six games in the NLCS. The Phillies took three of four from the Padres in Philadelphia right after the All-Star break.
Ha-Seong Kim had two stolen bases to push his season total to 31, the most by a Padres player since Everth Cabrera had 37 in 2013.
The Padres scored three quick runs in the first against Alex Cobb (7-6), who came within one out of a no-hitter against Cincinnati on Tuesday night. Kim hit a leadoff single, stole second and was erased on Fernando Tatis’ grounder. But Soto then launched an opposite-field, two-run homer to left, his 28th. Machado singled and scored on a double by Xander Bogaerts, who had four hits.
Machado homered to center with one out in the third, his 26th. He had three hits.
Cobb lasted only three innings, allowing four runs and six hits.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Padres: C Luis Campusano was down for several minutes after being hit with a foul tip by Wilmer Flores leading off the fourth. He came out of the game and was replaced by Gary Sanchez.
UP NEXT
Giants: RHP Logan Webb (9-11, 3.49 ERA) is scheduled to start Monday night in the opener of a three-game series at the Chicago Cubs, who will counter with LHP Justin Steele (15-3, 2.69).
Padres: LHP Rich Hill (7-13, 5.26) is scheduled to start Monday night in the opener of a three-game home series against Philadelphia, which will send Taijuan Walker (14-5, 4.05) to the mound.
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