Manny Machado hit a tiebreaking, sixth-inning double and Eric Hosmer followed with a RBI single Tuesday night as the San Diego Padres defeated the visiting Chicago Cubs 5-4 hours after learning manager Bob Melvin will have prostate surgery Wednesday morning.
“I don’t think it’s cancer, but we won’t know until we get in there,” Melvin said while addressing the media before the game. “It is what it is. The timetable is, hopefully, at the longest, I would just miss this next road trip.”
Bench coach Ryan Christenson will serve as the Padres’ manager until Melvin returns.
The run-scoring hits by Machado and Hosmer capped the Padres’ third, two-out, none-on rally of the game — resulting in all five San Diego runs.
Steven Wilson (3-0) got the win after throwing 1 2/3 scoreless relief innings.
Taylor Rogers earned his 12th save — despite allowing his first run of the season in the ninth on Ian Happ’s RBI single and getting the final out on pinch hitter Frank Schwindel’s bases-loaded drive into the glove of left fielder Jurickson Profar at the fence.
The Padres took a 2-0 lead in the first after left-hander Wade Miley retired the first two hitters he faced in his initial start of the season. Machado drew a two-out walk, advanced to third on a single by Hosmer and scored on an infield single by Wil Myers, who returned from the injured list Tuesday.
Miley then issued two more walks, the second to Ha-Seong Kim, forcing in a run.
The Cubs tied the game in the third when San Diego-area native Alfonso Rivas hit a two-run homer that cleared the fence in center by ricocheting off the glove of Jose Azocar.
Miley issued two, two-out walks in the bottom of the third, and Austin Nola gave the Padres a 3-2 lead with a RBI single.
The Cubs tied the game in the fifth when Rafael Ortega singled, moved to second on a walk, stole third and scored when catcher Nola threw the ball into left.
With two outs in the sixth, the Padres got four straight hits — a gap double by Jake Cronenworth, a single by Jake Profar off first baseman Rivas’ glove, Machado’s double just inside the third base bag and Hosmer’s single to short center off the glove of second baseman Jonathan Villar.
Chicago reliever Robert Gsellman (0-1) took the loss after allowing one run in 2 2/3 innings.
Miley gave up three runs on five hits in three innings in his return from elbow inflammation. Mike Clevinger started for the Padres and gave up three runs (two earned) in 4 1/3 innings.
The rubber game of the three-game series is scheduled for Wednesday afternoon.
–Field Level Media