ST. LOUIS (AP) — Manny Machado had two hits and was twice hit by pitches, and San Diego and St. Louis cleared the benches in the ninth inning in the Padres’ 3-1 victory over the Cardinals on Saturday night.
The Cardinals’ Willson Contreras was hit by a pitch for a second straight game, leading to Machado being plunked for the first time by Matthew Liberatore leading off the fifth.
Andre Granillo hit Machado again in the top of the ninth leading to the benches clearing and the ejection of Cardinals coach Jon Jay.
Contreras was hit again in the bottom of the ninth by Robert Suarez before Suarez finished off his 30th save in 33 opportunities as the Padres ended a four-game losing streak.
Jake Cronenworth was hit by Liberatore with one out in the second, then scored from first on a fielding error by center fielder Victor Scott II on a two-out single by Bryce Johnson for a 1-0 lead.
Nolan Arenado drew a 10-pitch walk off Randy Vásquez with one out in the Cardinals’ second. He scored from first on a two-out double by Jordan Walker to tie it.
Cronenworth doubled leading off the fourth, advanced on a groundout and scored when he beat Contreras’ throw home on a grounder to first by Johnson for a 2-1 lead. Johnson scored on Fernando Tatis’ groundout in the ninth for an insurance run.
Vásquez allowed just one hit and one run but fell an out shy of qualifying for the victory. He has made 11 straight starts without a decision. Jeremiah Estrada (4-4) pitched a scoreless 1 1/3 innings for the win.
Liberatore (6-8) allowed two runs — one earned — on five hits in 4 1/3 innings.
Key moment
The bench-clearing incident in the ninth came came after Machado complained after he was hit by Granillo’s pitch.
Key stat
Five batters were hit by pitches.
Up next
RHP Stephen Kolek (3-5, 4.28) was set to start Sunday for San Diego opposite RHP Michael McGreevy (2-1, 3.49).
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
