Michael King cruised and the San Diego Padres were riding high off the long ball, until a six-run seventh inning against the bullpen turned the game on its head in an 8-7 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks in the second game of the Mexico City Series.
Manny Machado hit a pair of home runs, while Luis Campusano connected for a solo home run and an RBI double. But after being kept under wraps by the San Diego (18-9) starter, Arizona (15-12) exploded for 10 runs on 12 hits against the bullpen.
The Diamondbacks comeback began when David Morgan came in for the seventh inning and allowed three consecutive singles after getting a lead off flyout. Then Tim Tawa smacked a sinker that stayed out over the heart of the plate for a grand slam to left field, pulling Arizona within a run.
That brought in Bradgley Rodriguez, who allowed a double to Ildemaro Vargas and then walked Corbin Carroll with two outs. Lourdes Gurriell Jr. followed by pulling a double down the left field line, scoring both runners and turning what was a five run deficit into an 8-7 lead.
An inning later against Ron Marinaccio, the Diamondbacks led off with three straight singles before a flyout. Then Vargas hit a triple on a bouncer over first base down the line which cleared the bases, and Ketel Marte followed up with an RBI single. Wandy Peralta came on and loaded the bases again, but got a double play to get out of the inning.
Vargas finished 3 for 5 with 4 RBI, and extended his hit streak to 20 games, the longest to start a season by a switch hitter since 1901.
The Padres opened the scoring in the second, as Campusano turned on a cutter left over the heart of the plate and yanked it down the left field line for an RBI double. Campusano would add a solo home run in the sixth inning, his third long ball of the season.
In the third Machado added to the lead, jumping on the first pitch from Nelson and blasting it out to left-center field for a two-run home run and his third round-tripper of the season. Fernando Tatis Jr. scored as well, having worked a full count walk with one down.
Machado knocked his second of the game over the fences in the fifth inning, a three-run shot that scored Tatis and Jackson Merrill. It was the first time since Sept. 18, 2024 against Houston that Machado knocked a pair over the fence; he has 24 multi-home run games since joining the Padres.
King was dealing from the start, setting a new season-high for strikeouts his first time through the Arizona order as he K’d seven while allowing just a walk — it set a new career high for strikeouts in his first trip through a lineup.
The only damage he allowed were a pair of solo home runs: by Jose Fernandez to lead off the fifth and to Vargas leading off the sixth.
Otherwise, King allowed just two Arizona base runners, finishing with two runs allowed on three hits with eight strikeouts and one walk as he threw a season-high 106 pitches. He allowed just three hard hit balls, none of which came against his four-seamer, which he threw for strikes 63% of the 30 times used.
Sung-Mun Song made his Majors debut in the eighth inning as a pinch runner, replacing Campusano after he reached on a throwing error. Song became the seventh Padre and 25th player to make their MLB debut outside the US and Canada, and first Korean-born player to do so.
The Padres return home to begin a six-game home stand on Monday as they open a three game series against the Chicago Cubs. Randy Vásquez (2-0, 1.88 ERA) will take the hill against Cubs lefty Matthew Boyd (1-1, 5.79 ERA), with first pitch scheduled for 6:40 p.m. at Petco Park.