Soto slugs 2 homers and drives in 4 runs as the Padres beat the Rockies 8-5

Updated Aug. 2, 2023 1:01 a.m. ET

Associated Press

DENVER (AP) — Juan Soto homered twice and drove in four runs, helping the San Diego Padres beat the Colorado Rockies 8-5 on Tuesday night.

Ha-Seong Kim and Trent Grisham added RBI singles in the ninth inning. Fernando Tatis Jr. drove in a pair of runs with a double and a bases loaded forceout for San Diego.

Pedro Avila, recalled late last month for his second stint with the Padres this season, went the first four innings and allowed one run on five hits. He struck out seven and walked three. Robert Suárez (1-0) got the win with an inning of scoreless relief and Josh Hader recorded two outs and his 26th save.

The victory comes a day after the Padres lost to the Rockies in extra innings and hours after San Diego bolstered its lineup with a number of moves ahead of the trade deadline in its bid for a late-season push toward a playoff berth.

Soto, a trade deadline acquisition a year ago, welcomed the moves.

“It's good,” he said. “It's telling the guys that we still have hopes and we're going to be out there and come to play every day to win,” Soto said.

The Padres need look no further than Soto to gauge the difference the new additions can make.

“Juan had a nice night,” Padres manager Bob Melvin said. “Those are the kind of games he’s kind of famous for, where he can put you on your back, hit the ball out of the ballpark and drive in a lot of runs. Obviously, it was huge for us tonight. We have several guys that are able to do that. He certainly did it tonight.”

Ryan McMahon had a three-run homer among his two hits, Elias Diaz had three doubles and Brendan Rodgers knocked in the Rockies' last run in the ninth inning. Jurickson Profar also had three hits.

“We tried to get back into it. It's not always going to work,” McMahon said. “Sometimes you've got to tip your cap. We put some really good at-bats up against some tough pitchers late. We did some good things tonight. Unfortunately, it just didn't go our way.”

The Rockies rallied to within a run in the bottom of the seventh when McMahon’ homered off Steven Wilson. But Soto answered in the top of the eighth, connecting off Tyler Kinley, reinstated from the injured list earlier in the day, for his second homer on the night and 22nd of the season.

“I've been feeling really good the last couple of weeks,” Soto said. “I've been swinging the bat well, hitting the ball hard.”

With the scored tied at 1-all going into the top of the fifth inning, the Padres loaded the bases with one out and Tommy Doyle relieved Peter Lambert (2-2). Tatis, who doubled in San Diego’s first run in the third, reached on a tiebreaking RBI forceout. Soto followed with a three-run drive that cleared the center field wall for his 21st homer and put the Padres ahead by four.

Colorado took an early lead on McMahon’s RBI single in the first, but Avila prevented a big inning when he got out of a bases-loaded, two-out jam by striking out Elehuris Montero.

DEADLINE DEALS

Padres: San Diego acquired veteran pitcher Rich Hill and 1B-DH Ji Man Choi from the Pittsburgh Pirates. In other deals, reliever Scott Barlow was acquired from Kansas City and 1B Garrett Cooper and minor league pitcher Sean Reynolds from the Marlins. The deals cost the Padres six minor leaguers, including 2018 first-round pick LHP Ryan Weathers.

Rockies: Continuing to stockpile pitching prospects, Colorado acquired RHP Alec Barger from the Atlanta Braves in exchange for LHP Brad Hand, and added LHP Justin Bruihl from the Los Angeles Dodgers in exchange for cash considerations.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Rockies: Charlie Blackmon’s minor league rehab assignment has been put on hold due to what manager Bud Black described as “a little bit of a minor setback” in his recovery from a a fractured right hand. “We’ll continue to treat Chuck and he’ll continue to strengthen the wrist and hopefully in a few days that rehab will happen,” Black said. … RHP Tyler Kinley was reinstated from the 60-day injured list and rejoined the Rockies bullpen after recovering from surgery in June to repair a flexor tendon tear.

UP NEXT

San Deigo RHP Joe Musgrove (10-3, 3.05 ERA) is slated to start Wednesday’s series finale against the Rockies’ LHP Kyle Freeland (4-11, 4.79 ERA), who is seeking his first win since May 14 versus Philadelphia.

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