Jake Cronenworth's walk-off hit gives the Padres a 3-2 win over the Rangers on July 5, but an injury to Xander Bogaerts casts a shadow on the victory.
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
In a game that had everything from towering home runs to nail-biting tension, it all came down to one swing. With the bases loaded and the game on the line in the bottom of the 10th, Jake Cronenworth laced a single into right field, sending Petco Park into a frenzy and securing a dramatic 3-2 victory for the San Diego Padres over the Texas Rangers.
Manny Machado is on the verge of becoming the 12th player in MLB history to reach 350 home runs and 2,000 hits before turning 33.
Just moments after the crowd held its collective breath over an injury, they were on their feet roaring. With Jackson Merrill starting the 10th on second, the Padres loaded the bases for Jake Cronenworth. 'Captain Clutch' delivered yet again, smacking a single to score Merrill and log his fifth career walk-off hit. It was a chaotic, beautiful end to a hard-fought game, with Adrian Morejon picking up a well-deserved win in relief.
The celebration, however, was tinged with concern. Just two batters before Cronenworth's heroics, shortstop Xander Bogaerts collapsed in pain after swinging at the first pitch of his at-bat. He was immediately attended to by the training staff and removed from the game. The sight of a key player going down like that casts a shadow over the victory. Postgame, the team offered no immediate update, leaving fans to hope for the best.
While Cronenworth played the hero, Manny Machado continued his relentless march toward history. Machado was a force at the plate, collecting two crucial hits. The biggest was a mammoth 440-foot solo home run that left no doubt. Those two hits bring his career total to 1,997, just three shy of the 2,000-hit milestone. He's putting himself in truly elite company.
The late-game drama wouldn't have been possible without the team's earlier resilience. After starter Randy Vásquez surrendered two runs in the third on a Marcus Semien double, the Padres' offense clawed back. In the sixth, the electrifying Fernando Tatis Jr. legged out a triple, and who else but Luis Arraez promptly singled him home to tie the game. It was a classic display of this team's ability to manufacture runs when it matters most.
It was a night of pure baseball drama, delivering a much-needed win. The Friars will ride this high into the next game, but every fan will be holding their breath, anxiously awaiting news on Xander Bogaerts. A victory is sweet, but the health of a cornerstone player is paramount to this team's long-term success.
