SAN DIEGO -- It looks like the Padres have figured it out. At least when it comes to beating the Guardians.
The Padres are loaded with big-money players. The top of their lineup looks like an all-star team, but they haven’t played like it through mid-June and manager Terry Francona was hoping that his Guardians could get in and out of Petco Park before they did.
“Let them figure it out against someone else,” he said before the start of the series.
That’s not happening.
The Padres hit four home runs Wednesday night and Michael Wacha threw a 6 2/3 scoreless innings as the Padres beat the Guardians, 5-0. The loss dropped the Guardians to 3 1/2 games out of first place in the AL Central.
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Fernando Tatis, Juan Soto, Manny Machado and Nelson Cruz all homered for the Padres.
They used that power to take the early lead for the second straight night against the Guardians. Once again it was the heavy hitters at the top of the lineup who did the damage.
Tatis opened the game with a homer into the left field bleachers that Steven Kwan just missed catching. He hit a 3-1 fastball from Aaron Civale that stayed in the middle of the plate far too long.
“I missed it by a glove length,” said Kwan. “If I was 5-9, I think I get that. Just a little too short on that one.”
Civale pitched his way out of the rest of the inning, leaving runners on second and third by retiring Gary Sanchez on a pop up to catcher Mike Zunino.
When the third inning rolled around, however, it was Machado’s turn to take Civale deep. He hit sent a 78-mph curveball over the wall in left center to make it 2-0.
Civale avoided further trouble in the third, but didn’t make it through the fourth. He retired the first two batters, but Tatis doubled into the left field corner and Soto walked. With Machado due to bat, Nick Sandlin relieved Civale and retired Machado on a check-swing grounder to first.
“That’s a deep lineup, one of the best in the game,” said Civale. “We went in with an attack plan. There wasn’t a batter that we took off. We attacked the whole time.”
Civale’s biggest problem was his pitch count. He threw 95 pitches in 3 2/3 innings.
“He didn’t really command the way he usually does,” said Francona. “There were a lot of deep counts. That’s a really high pitch count.
“I think he could have wiggled out of that inning (the fourth), but for a guy making his third start since coming off the injured list, that was a lot.”
Civale (2-2, 2.67) allowed two runs on five hits in 3 2/3 innings. He struck out seven and walked four.
“I’ve got to be more efficient,” he said.
The Padres made it 4-0 in the sixth. Sam Hentges started the inning with two out, but Tatis, with his third extra-base hit of the game, doubled into the left field corner. He got a great jump off Hentges and stole third and scored on a wild pitch.
With the sold-out crowd of over 43,000 screaming in delight, Soto kept the celebration going with a homer to left. Cruz, 42, added a pinch-hit homer in the eighth to make it 5-0. It was the 463rd of his career.
In the first two games of this series, the Padres have out-homered Cleveland, 6-1.
The Guardians, meanwhile, could do nothing against Wacha. When asked about the veteran right-hander before the game, Francona said, “If you’re impatient he can really make you pay. He pitches like a veteran. If he gets you chasing, he’ll just continue.”
Wacha (7-2, 2.89) allowed four hits over 6 2/3 innings. Cleveland did manage to load the bases against him in the seventh. Jose Ramirez singled, Josh Bell doubled and Andres Gimenez drew a two-out walk to get Wacha out of the game.
Steve Wilson relieved and struck out Myles Straw to end the inning. Wacha, Wilson and Tim Hill combined on the five-hit shutout.
Francona said he didn’t consider pinch-hitting for Straw because he had all right-handed hitters on the bench. Straw went 0 for 3 and is hitting .231.
Amed Rosario opened the ninth with a single to right. When he made a wide turn at the bag, Tatis threw behind him and first baseman Jake Cronenworth tagged him out. The Guardians challenged the decision, but the call on the field stood.
Next: LHP Logan Allen (3-2. 3.31) vs. LHP Ryan Weathers (1-4, 4.93) Wednesday at 8:40 p.m. Bally Sports Great Lakes, WTAM, WMMS and the Guardians radio network will carry the game.
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