SAN DIEGO (AP) — Manny Machado hit two homers and drove in three runs for the San Diego Padres, who beat the St. Louis Cardinals 4-2 on Friday night to extend their season-high winning streak to eight games.
The Padres are barely hanging on in the race for the NL's third wild-card spot a season after Machado helped carry them on a stirring run to the NL Championship Series.
Machado twice put the Padres ahead, the second time on a two-run homer off Matthew Liberatore (3-6) with one out in the eighth inning. Machado gestured toward the Padres' dugout after hitting his 30th homer, with Juan Soto aboard on a double.
In the sixth, Machado blew a bubble as he rounded first after his leadoff homer against Dakota Hudson gave the Padres a 2-1 lead. It was his 39th career multi-homer game and sixth this season.
Machado has been limited to DH duty since Sept. 1 due to right tennis elbow that he says will require surgery whenever the Padres are eliminated.
The Cardinals tied it in the eighth when Paul Goldschmidt hit a leadoff single and scored on Jordan Walker's triple to center field off Luis Garcia. The Cardinals couldn't bring in Goldschmidt as Garcia struck out Richie Palacios and walked Ivan Herrera before Robert Suarez (4-2) came on and retired the side.
The Cardinals, who were eliminated from playoff contention Tuesday night and are last in the NL Central, tied the game at 1 when Masyn Winn homered leading off the sixth against starter Matt Waldron. It was his second.
The Padres had taken a 1-0 lead on Brett Sullivan's RBI single in the second.
Waldron, making his fifth start, has allowed a homer in all seven appearances this year. Winn's shot was the first Waldron allowed with his knuckleball. Waldron allowed one run and three hits in 5 2/3 innings, struck out nine and walked two.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Cardinals: Placed 3B Nolan Arenado and C Willson Contreras on the 10-day injured list, ending their seasons. Arenado was sidelined by lower back spasms, and Contreras has left wrist tendinitis. ... St. Louis also transferred OF Dylan Carlson to the 60-day IL, selected infielder-outfielder Irving Lopez from Triple-A Memphis and recalled outfielder Michael Siani from Memphis.
UP NEXT
Cardinals RHP Jake Woodford (2-2, 5.31 ERA) and Padres RHP Nick Martinez (5-4, 3.73) are scheduled to start Saturday night.
