SAN DIEGO (AP) — Manny Machado gave the San Diego Padres a three-run lead before they made their first out and Blake Snell took it from there.
Machado hit a three-run homer hours after he was named the NL starter at third base for the All-Star Game and Snell struck out 11 for his first win of the season, leading the Padres to a 6-3 victory over the sliding San Francisco Giants on Friday night.
Machado was voted to start the All-Star Game in a tight race against St. Louis' Nolan Arenado. He lifted the Padres to a 3-0 lead by sending a drive off Sam Long into the seats in left. It was his second in as many nights and his 14th overall.
It will be Machado's third All-Star Game start, and first in the NL, up the freeway at Dodger Stadium on July 19.
Manager Bob Melvin said Machado was “very deserving” of the All-Star honor. “He's putting together an MVP-type season and usually those guys end up starting the All-Star Game.”
Snell (1-5) had a second straight strong start and finally earned a win. He permitted one run and three hits in six innings.
Snell was one off his season high of 12 strikeouts in his previous outing, when he got a no-decision in a 5-1 loss at the Dodgers on July 1. The Padres had lost all eight of his starts this season.
“You look at the strikeouts, and only two walks today,” Melvin said. “He gave up the homer, had one dicey little situation there with the bases loaded and got some strikeouts. When he's throwing the ball over the plate and he's using all his pitches, he's about as good as any left-hander in the game.”
Snell retired his first nine batters before getting into and out of a bases-loaded jam in the fourth. He loaded the bases with one out before retiring Thairo Estrada and Brandon Crawford.
“I'm happy with it,” Snell said. “Still got to limit walks. Definitely happy, throwing the ball good. Just got to keep attacking the zone.”
The Padres have struggled offensively in the last several games, so the early lead was a big deal for Snell.
“Love pitching with the lead. Makes it so you can start to get in cruise control and start to really feel your rhythm," Snell said. “Being able to get three runs right away helped me settle in, even though the fourth was a little bumpy and the fifth was a little bumpy. But outside of that I felt really confident. I felt good with that lead.”
Nick Martinez pitched three innings for his third save.
Nomar Mazara hit two RBI singles for the Padres, and Jake Cronenworth added a run-scoring single.
Brandon Belt and David Villar homered for San Francisco, which has dropped eight of nine. Villar's leadoff drive in the fifth was his first career homer, and Belt connected for a two-run shot in the ninth.
Long (0-2) allowed three runs and four hits in 2 1/3 innings.
BRIGHT COLORS
The Padres debuted their City Connect uniforms, with bright sherbet-like colors of green, pink and yellow that are supposed to reflect the cross-border cultures of San Diego and Tijuana, Mexico.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Giants: Placed INF Tommy La Stella on the COVID-19-related IL. Reinstated Estrada from COVID-19 IL. Claimed INF Colton Welker off waivers from Colorado, recalled him and placed him on the 60-day IL (left shoulder surgery).
Padres: Placed LF Jurickson Profar on the seven-day concussion injured list a day after he collapsed while trying to walk off the field after a scary collision with shortstop C.J. Abrams. Profar also was diagnosed with a strained neck before being discharged from the hospital overnight. OF Brent Rooker was recalled from Triple-A El Paso to take Profar’s roster spot.
UP NEXT
Giants LHP Carlos Rodon (7-5, 2.87 ERA) and Padres RHP Yu Darvish (7-4, 3.53 ERA) are scheduled to start Saturday's game.
