Manny Machado's Grand Slam Lifts San Diego Padres Over Washington Nationals 7-2

Tuesday, July 22nd, 2025

WASHINGTON -- The San Diego Padres defeated the Washington Nationals 7-2 on July 18, 2025, at Nationals Park, powered by Manny Machado’s grand slam in a decisive five-run ninth inning.

The Padres' dramatic ninth inning began with Jake Cronenworth singling off Nationals reliever Kyle Finnegan. Cronenworth advanced to third on a single by Jose Iglesias. Elias Díaz then executed his second safety squeeze of the game, successfully scoring Cronenworth to give San Diego a 3-2 lead.

A single by Fernando Tatis Jr. and a walk to Luis Arraez loaded the bases for Machado, who launched his grand slam into the Padres bullpen in left-center field, extending the lead to 7-2.

Earlier in the game, CJ Abrams tied the score at 2-all for the Nationals with a two-run home run off San Diego reliever Jason Adams in the eighth inning.

Xander Bogaerts contributed significantly for the Padres with two hits and a run scored. The victory marked San Diego's fourth win in five games.

Wandy Peralta earned the win for the Padres, pitching 1 1/3 innings in relief. Kyle Finnegan was tagged with the loss for Washington.

Jacob Young had two hits for the Nationals, who have now lost five consecutive games and nine of their last ten.

San Diego initially took a 1-0 lead in the second inning when Jackson Merrill singled and later scored on Jake Cronenworth’s sacrifice fly.

In the Padres' sixth inning, Bogaerts led off with a bloop double, advanced to third on a bunt single by Cronenworth, and scored on a squeeze bunt by Díaz, pushing the lead to 2-0.

Padres starter Dylan Cease, who famously pitched a no-hitter in Washington last July, went 5 1/3 innings. He allowed four singles, struck out 10 batters, and issued no walks.

Washington starter Michael Soroka allowed one run and three hits over five innings of work.

Key Moment

In the top of the ninth inning, with Jake Cronenworth running on the pitch, Jose Iglesias hit a single into the vacated spot by second baseman Luis García Jr., setting up the go-ahead run.

Key Stat

Nationals reliever Kyle Finnegan has now allowed eight runs over just two-thirds of an inning across his last two appearances.

Up Next

Following this game, San Diego Padres right-hander Yu Darvish (0-1, 6.48 ERA) is scheduled to make his third start Saturday since returning from the injured list. He will be opposed by Washington Nationals left-hander Mitchell Parker (5-10, 5.12).

In summary

The San Diego Padres secured a 7-2 victory over the Washington Nationals on July 18, 2025, largely due to a five-run rally in the ninth inning highlighted by Manny Machado's grand slam. The Padres broke a 2-2 tie with timely hitting, including two successful safety squeezes by Elias Díaz and a go-ahead RBI by Jake Cronenworth. Wandy Peralta earned the win for San Diego, while Dylan Cease pitched effectively through 5 1/3 innings, striking out 10. For the Nationals, CJ Abrams contributed a two-run homer, but the team's bullpen, specifically Kyle Finnegan, struggled in the decisive ninth inning. The Nationals' losing streak extended to five games. The series continues with Yu Darvish facing Mitchell Parker in the next matchup.

Related Links

• San Diego Padres News & Updates
• San Diego Padres Schedule & Scores
• Washington Nationals News & Updates
• Washington Nationals Schedule & Scores
• MLB News