Braves vs Padres Recap: Machado HR Wins It for San Diego

The Atlanta Braves rolled into Petco Park on Tuesday night searching for answers. They were 48-29 on the season but had lost two straight games. Missing star outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. on the injured list, Atlanta needed a win badly. The San Diego Padres stood at 40-37 and had just won their last game. Both teams were fighting hard to stay in playoff position. The Padres' bats were ready. The Braves' pitching staff would need to be sharp. Grant Holmes took the mound for Atlanta looking to stop the bleeding. This matchup felt like it could go either way. Two hungry teams. One tight game waiting to happen.

The game stayed quiet through the early innings. Then the fourth inning arrived. Manny Machado stepped up to face Grant Holmes with the game scoreless. Holmes threw an 85-mile-per-hour slider. Machado's eyes locked onto it. He swung with power and the ball rocketed off his bat. It sailed deep into center field and kept climbing higher. The crowd jumped to their feet. The ball cleared the wall 418 feet away—gone! Machado rounded the bases as the Padres took a 1-0 lead. Atlanta's lineup had chances but couldn't break through. Michael Harris II, Austin Riley, and the rest of the Braves hitters battled hard but couldn't find the magic. One swing. One moment. One home run was all San Diego needed.

Michael King was electric on the mound for San Diego. The right-hander threw seven innings of shutout baseball. He gave up just six hits while striking out five batters. King never walked anyone. He was in complete control. Atlanta's batters kept swinging but couldn't string anything together. Austin Riley had the best game for the Braves, going 3-for-4. But it wasn't enough. The rest of Atlanta's lineup struggled mightily. Drake Baldwin struck out four times. Ozzie Albies went 0-for-4. The Braves left runners on base all night. Mason Miller came in for the save in the ninth. He threw one inning and shut the door. Final score: Padres 1, Braves 0. San Diego improved to 40-37 while Atlanta fell to 48-30. One run decided it all.