Pham homers leading off, Padres pile on in 8-1 win over A’s
Aug 3, 2021, 10:15 AM | Updated: 11:21 pm
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Tommy Pham hit a leadoff homer, Austin Nola had four hits and two RBIs, and the San Diego Padres thumped the Oakland Athletics 8-1 on Tuesday night.
Manny Machado added two hits and scored twice for San Diego. Blake Snell pitched around traffic for five innings and allowed one run as the Padres won for the second time in three games since star shortstop Fernando Tatís Jr. went out with a shoulder injury.
The Padres’ offense didn’t seem to miss the star hitter against the A’s. Every San Diego starter had at least one hit or scored a run.
“Up and down the lineup the guys just didn’t try to do too much,” Padres manager Jayce Tingler said. “Stayed in the middle of the field and tried to stay on top of that heater. With Tommy setting the tone in the first and some big two-out hits in the second, that was huge. Really good night offensively.”
Starling Marte had three hits for Oakland, including his first home run with the A’s.
Pham hit his 12th home run on the ninth pitch from A’s starter Sean Manaea (8-7). The Padres’ leadoff hitter also had an RBI single in the third when San Diego put together four straight two-out hits.
San Diego scored twice in the fifth and twice more in the seventh. Trent Grisham had a two-run single that drove in Machado and Eric Hosmer, who slid past catcher Yan Gomes without being tagged, then quickly got back up and touched home plate.
“We’re moving around the lineup well,” Nola said. “The big thing is make the pitcher throw strikes and swing at good pitches.”
Snell (5-4) went into the game with the highest road ERA among pitchers with at least 11 starts away from home before beating the A’s. He had six strikeouts and walked three.
Four relievers retired three batters apiece to complete the seven-hitter.
“There’s a lot to work on still, but it’s definitely headed in the right direction with a win,” Snell said. “I need to continue to attack the zone and get quicker outs. I just need to find a way to be better.”
The A’s had runners on base in each of the first four innings but failed to score.
After Mark Canha singled to open the first and Marte doubled, Snell retired the next three batters without allowing the ball out of the infield. Oakland loaded the bases with one out in the second when Canha flew out to right and Wil Myers threw out Josh Harrison sliding into home plate to complete the double play.
“A tough game with situational at-bats,” A’s manager Bob Melvin said. “We got some guys on, we ran some. We just didn’t put good at-bats together in those situations. Not our best game.”
Manaea allowed five runs in 4 1/3 innings in his shortest outing since early May. The left-hander got drilled in the leg by a 112.5 mph comebacker in the second inning.
“They were on everything,” Manaea said.
GOING THE EXTRA … BASE
The Padres have had at least two extra-base hits in 24 consecutive games, the second-longest active streak in the majors behind the Los Angeles Angels (37). The Padres’ streak is also the second-longest in franchise history.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Padres: LHP Matt Strahm (right patellar tendon) was activated from the 60-day Injured List. … RHP Taylor Williams (right knee) began a rehab assignment with Triple-A El Paso. … IF Jorge Mateo was designated for assignment.
Athletics: IF/OF Chad Pinder (right hamstring) fielded infield grounders before the game but has yet to progress to running bases, which is the next step in his recovery. Pinder has been on the IL since July 8.
UP NEXT
Athletics RHP Frankie Montas (9-8, 4.08 ERA) pitches the finale of this brief two-game series while the Padres counter with RHP Joe Musgrove (7-7, 2.94). Montas beat the Padres in his only appearance against them in 2018. Musgrove has won three of his last four decisions and is coming off an 11-strikeout performance against Colorado in his last start.
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