Manny Machado jumped atop the Padres’ all-time home run list as San Diego defeated the host Seattle Mariners 7-3 on Tuesday night in the opener of a two-game interleague series.
Fernando Tatis Jr. also homered and Yu Darvish earned his first victory since May 19 for the Padres (82-64), who snapped a two-game skid. Robert Suarez got the final four outs for his 32nd save of the season.
San Diego moved within 4 1/2 games of the first-place Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League West and remained a half-game up on the Arizona Diamondbacks in the race for the top NL wild card.
Cal Raleigh and Luke Raley went deep for the Mariners (73-72), who lost for just the second time in their past six games. Seattle is 4 1/2 games back of the first-place Houston Astros in the American League West and four games out of the last AL wild-card spot.
Machado smacked a two-run shot to center field off Seattle starter George Kirby (11-11) in the sixth inning, marking his 164th home run with the Padres and giving San Diego a 5-2 lead in the process. Nate Colbert was the Padres’ previous home run leader, going deep 163 times for the franchise from 1969-74.
Machado added a two-run single with the bases loaded and two outs in the seventh to make it 7-2.
After trailing 2-0, the Padres took the lead in the third inning. Donovan Solano and Luis Arraez singled before Tatis hit a three-run shot to right-center to put San Diego ahead for good.
Raleigh homered with two outs in the first, his 30th long ball of the season, and Raley socked his 19th leading off the second, providing Seattle with its 2-0 edge.
The Mariners didn’t score again until the seventh, when Justin Turner led off with a walk and Jorge Polanco and J.P. Crawford followed with singles, the latter scoring Turner. Seattle soon loaded the bases with one out for Julio Rodriguez, who grounded into an inning-ending double play.
Darvish (5-3), making just his second start since May 29 after stints on the injured list (left groin strain) and restricted list (private family matter), went five innings and allowed two runs on seven hits. The right-hander didn’t walk a batter and struck out five.
Kirby gave up five runs on seven hits in five-plus innings, with one walk and four strikeouts.
–Field Level Media
