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SAN DIEGO — Manny Machado homered twice to tie Nate Colbert for San Diego’s career record with 163 and lead the Padres to a 5-1 win against the San Francisco Giants on Friday night.
Machado had a solo shot in the first and then matched Colbert’s record, which stood for 50 years, with an impressive drive into the second deck in left field leading off the eighth.
“It’s a special accomplishment. Obviously it’s an honour to be a part of it,” Machado.
It was even better that it came in front of a sellout crowd of 42,595.
”Great. This is what I wanted, to do it in front of the home crowd,” said Machado, who blew a bubble as he rounded second base and again as he approached the plate. “They deserve it. Just do it at home, it makes it that much more special.”
Manager Mike Shildt called Machado’s second shot “a big boy home run.”
Tying the franchise record is “a big deal,” Shildt said. “This franchise has been here a long time. It’s a big accomplishment for Manny and we’re proud of him and excited for him.”
Machado tied Colbert with 20 games to go in his sixth season in San Diego. Colbert hit 163 in six seasons with the Padres, from their expansion season of 1969 through 1974. He played for four other teams in his career and had 173 total homers.
Machado’s 25th shot of the season gave him 42 multi-homer games since his rookie year of 2012.
Machado has 338 homers in his 13-year career. He had 162 with Baltimore and then 13 after being traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers on July 18, 2018. He signed as a free agent with the Padres on Feb. 21, 2019.
“I mean, he’s Manny Machado,” winner Michael King said. “All of it’s very much expected, but when you look at the statistics that he’s put up, defensively and offensively, it’s been a joy to pitch in front of. He changes games and it’s showing.”
Machado’s shot to left off rookie Mason Black gave the Padres a 3-0 lead after just four batters. Luis Arraez and Fernando Tatis Jr. opened with singles and advanced on Jurickson Profar’s fly out to right. Shortstop Tyler Fitzgerald cut off the throw from Mike Yastrzemski and threw wildly past second trying to get Tatis for an error. The ball rolled into the right-field corner and both runners scored.
Machado then hit his first homer of the night.
Machado added an RBI single in the fifth, bringing in Tatis after he reached on his second single of the game.
“That is what he does. He is a big-time player in big-time situations,” said Giants manager Bob Melvin, who skippered the Padres the last two seasons. “When he is going good, this team is going good. This is his team.”
King (12-8) held the Giants to one run and six hits in six innings, struck out eight and walked one. His only big mistake was allowing Michael Conforto’s homer to right leading off the sixth, his 16th.
Said winning pitcher Michael King: “I mean, he’s Manny Machado. All of it’s very much expected, but when you look at the statistics that he’s put up, defensively and offensively, it’s been a joy to pitch in front of. He changes games and it’s showing.”
Black (0-3) allowed four runs and six hits in 4 2/3 innings, struck out six and walked one.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Padres: CF Jackson Merrill, who’s pushing Pittsburgh’s Paul Skenes for the NL Rookie of the Year Award, left the game with a bruised left patella suffered on a foul ball in the sixth.
UP NEXT
Giants RHP Logan Webb (11-9, 3.43 ERA) and Padres RHP Dylan Cease (12-10, 3.62) are scheduled to start Saturday night.
