NEW YORK -- Manny Machado enjoyed this one. Probably because he knew what it meant.
With the bases loaded and the game tied in the top of the fifth inning on Wednesday night, Mets starter David Peterson left a curveball over the heart of the plate. Machado did what he’s done more than any other active Major Leaguer: He hit a grand slam.
As the ball carried toward the left-center-field seats at Citi Field, Machado leaned back -- then held his signature pose for an extra moment or two. The visiting dugout erupted. The Padres were en route to a crucial 7-4 victory over the Mets. They are now almost certainly on their way to the postseason as well.
Then again, on a chilly Wednesday night in Queens, you’d be forgiven for thinking they were already there. This game had all the hallmarks of October baseball.
“This was a big one for us,” Machado said. “Every game from now on is a big one.”
Machado’s slam, the 14th of his career, was the decisive blow, giving San Diego an early 6-2 lead. But the Mets -- fellow contenders in the National League -- quickly made a game of it. As such, Padres manager Mike Shildt aggressively deployed his bullpen, asking for four outs from Adrian Morejon and five from Mason Miller.
"Tonight,” Shildt said, “felt like a playoff game.”
By winning it, the Padres practically ensured that they’ll soon be playing actual playoff games. Their lead over the Diamondbacks, the first team on the outside of the postseason picture, grew to 6 1/2 games after Arizona’s loss earlier in the day. San Diego can punch its ticket as soon as Saturday.
With that kind of cushion, there’s not much reason to look in the rearview. The Padres can -- and have -- set their sights squarely on the franchise’s first division title in 19 years. On that front, their late-summer doldrums might end up proving costly.
The Dodgers have largely struggled over the past month, seemingly leaving the door open. The Padres haven’t been able to capitalize. At the conclusion of play Wednesday, San Diego’s deficit is two games.
"I think we had a chance to take it over a long time ago, and we didn’t,” Machado said. “So, at this point it’s just: Worry about us. Go out there and just play our best game.”
Really, that’s what this was (aside from a two-pronged baserunning gaffe that took a run off the board in the sixth). The Padres seamlessly executed in the buildup to Machado’s grand slam. Elias Díaz laid down a sacrifice bunt. Fernando Tatis Jr. worked a walk. Luis Arraez bunted his way aboard.
“The small things,” Shildt said, “lead to big things.”
That brought Machado to the plate with the bases loaded -- and with the bases loaded, nobody has been better than Machado. In his career, he’s now hitting .359 in those situations, while slugging .739. Of his 14 career grand slams, six have come with the Padres, leaving him one shy of Phil Nevin’s franchise record.
"In that opportunity, it’s just trying to get one [run], not trying to do too much, keep it simple,” Machado said.
Added Shildt: “Manny just knows who’s in charge at that point -- and it’s the hitter.”
Given a lead to work with, Shildt managed aggressively from there. He called for Morejon with two outs in the fifth to get the lefty-hitting Brandon Nimmo. Morejon would cover the sixth as well, and when Jeremiah Estrada ran into trouble in the seventh, Shildt played his (relief) ace.
The Mets trailed by two with a runner aboard and Juan Soto and Pete Alonso due up. Enter Miller, acquired at the Trade Deadline for precisely moments like this.
With a 2-2 count on Soto, Miller fired a 102.6 mph fastball that Soto lofted down the left-field line. Probably a good thing Miller didn’t throw it 102.5. Soto missed a home run by an inch or two.
"Scary one,” Miller said. “Felt like [it was in the air] a long time.”
A replay confirmed the foul ball, and Miller proceeded to freeze Soto with a nasty backdoor slider on the following pitch. He punched out Alonso using four more sliders, then let loose a roar as he walked off the mound.
“A big matchup like that, it feels good to win it,” said Miller, who worked a clean eighth as well. “Obviously, we know what the stakes are.”
They’re already awfully high. And they’re only going to get higher from here.