Offense explodes as San Diego Padres take game one from Royals

With arguably the worst homestand in recent memory behind them, the San Diego Padres traveled to Kansas City for a three-game set with the Royals, starting Friday night and running through the weekend. Joe Musgrove (8-6) opened for the Padres, while Kris Bubic (2-8) opposed.

It didn’t take long for the Friars to jump on Bubic, who entered today’s game with an ERA over 5.50, pouring on four runs over the first two innings, including three in the first. Manny Machado drew a walk in the game’s first frame and Brandon Drury kept the inning going with an opposite field single. Josh Bell, who slowly appears to be finding his footing, brought Machado home on a hard line drive into the right-center gap. He, and Drury, came around to score on a double by right fielder Wil Myers.

An opposite field single by Jose Azocar got things started in the second inning for the Friars. With two outs again, Jurickson Profar battled with Bubic for a bit before ambushing a hanging 81 mph changeup down the left field line, scoring Azocar from first.

The Friars kept swinging it early, scoring two more runs in the third on back-to-back home runs by Wil Myers and Jake Cronenworth. It was the first time since the fourth game of the season that the Padres had hit back-to-back home runs in a game.

That six-run lead didn’t last long, however. A solo home run by Nick Pratto in the bottom of the third got Kansas City on the board, and the Royals pushed four runs across on Musgrove in the fourth, chasing him after just 3 2/3 innings. It’s been a struggle for Musgrove as of late, who hasn’t won a game since July and has now allowed a home run in seven straight starts, the longest active streak on this pitching staff.

It was all the Padres from there on out.

Ha-Seong Kim brought a run home in the sixth inning, and after squandering what may be their millionth bases-loaded appearance this season, pushed four runs across in the seventh. Cronenworth singled home Bell, Austin Nola brought Myers home on a sac fly, and Kim ripped a two-run double down the left field line. They talked on two more in the ninth on a two-run blast by Kim, upping their run total on the day to 13. The Padres pounded out 19 hits in the win.

TOP PERFORMERS

+ Ha-Seong Kim: 3-for-6, 5 RBI, 2B, HR

+ Wil Myers: 3-for-5, 2B, HR, 3 RBI, 2 RS

+ Jose Azocar: 4-for-5, 3 RS

+ Josh Bell: 2-for-4, 2B, 2 RS, RBI, BB

+ Jurickson Profar: 2-for-5, 2B, RBI

+ Jake Cronenworth: 2-for-5, HR, 2 RBI, 2 RS

+ Adrian Morejon: 2 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 2 K

WHAT’S NEXT?

The Padres draw a matchup again with the Royals tomorrow, slated for 4:10 PST. Yu Darvish (10-7) returns off the paternity list to start for the Friars, while Daniel Lynch (4-8) starts for the home team.