Manny Machado hit a solo homer in the ninth inning to help the visiting San Diego Padres end their six-game losing streak with a 2-1 win over the Atlanta Braves on Friday in the opener of their three-game series.
Machado blasted a slider from Atlanta closer Raisel Iglesias (3-4) into the left field seats for his fourth home run.
The loss ruined the return of Atlanta right fielder Ronald Acuna Jr., who was playing his first game since tearing his left ACL a year ago. Acuna hit the first pitch he saw for a home run. The homer traveled 467 feet — the longest by a Braves player this season — and was his 13th career home run of 460-plus feet (including playoffs), which ties him with Aaron Judge for the most in the majors since 2018.
Acuna went 2-for-4 and also showed his defensive skills. He chased a single by Elias Diaz into the right field corner and threw him out trying to stretch the hit into a double.
The Padres tied the game in the second inning on Gavin Sheets’ ninth homer, a line drive to center field. It was Sheets’ third homer in six at-bats.
The game began as a pitching duel between Atlanta’s Chris Sale and San Diego’s Nick Pivetta. Sale threw seven innings and allowed one run on four hits, one walk and six strikeouts. Pivetta pitched six strong innings and allowed one run on four hits — two of them to Acuna — with three walks and seven strikeouts.
San Diego’s Adrian Morejon pitched 1 2/3 scoreless innings with three strikeouts. Jason Adam (5-0) worked 1/3 of an inning and earned the win.
Robert Suarez pitched a scoreless ninth to notch his 16th save, thanks to some poor baserunning by the Braves. With one out and pinch runner Eli White at second base, Ozzie Albies lined a single to center field. But White got confused as he approached third and retreated to second base, where he was tagged out. Michael Harris II then grounded out to end the game.
