09/20/26 05:45:00
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09/20 17:44 CDT Cronenworth homers twice, Padres beat Marlins 7-3 to lower
wild-card magic number to 2
Cronenworth homers twice, Padres beat Marlins 7-3 to lower wild-card magic
number to 2
By BERNIE WILSON
Associated Press
Jake Cronenworth hit a pair of two-run homers and drove in five runs for the
San Diego Padres, who beat the Miami Marlins 7-3 on Sunday to move closer to
clinching their third straight postseason berth.
Fernando Tatis Jr. hit his 25th homer for the Padres, who won for the 13th time
in 14 games and swept the Marlins for the second time this season.
San Diego reduced its magic number to two for earning a wild-card spot.
The Padres and Cubs remain tied at 87-69 for the top wild-card spot with six
games to go, although Chicago holds the tiebreaker. Philadelphia stayed one
game back.
The top wild-card team will host a best-of-three opening series. The Cubs beat
the Padres 2-1 in the wild-card round last year in Chicago.
Cronenworth lofted a two-run shot into the home run porch in the right-field
corner off Sandy Alcantara (13-11) with two outs in the second.
He connected again to right off Bradley Blalock with two outs in the eighth,
his seventh. It was his second career multihomer game.
Walker Buehler took a one-hitter and a 4-0 lead into the seventh before
allowing Javier Sanoja's three-run homer to left with two outs, his 10th.
That was it for Buehler (9-6), who allowed three runs and three hits while
striking out six and walking two in a season-high 6 2/3 innings. He retired 11
straight at one point.
Tatis homered into the Padres bullpen in left-center off Blalock leading off
the seventh. It's his fourth career 25-homer season.
Cronenworth and Samad Taylor hit consecutive RBI singles in the fourth.
Alcantara allowed four runs and eight hits in six innings, struck out three and
walked one.
Up next
Marlins RHP Janson Junk (6-9, 4.50 ERA) is scheduled to start Tuesday night in
the opener of a three-game series at the Chicago Cubs.
The Padres haven't named a starter for Tuesday night's series opener at the Los
Angeles Dodgers.
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