PHOENIX — Suddenly, the Padres really feel entire once more.
Joe Musgrove made his 2023 debut on Saturday evening at Chase Field, his begin to the season pushed again by a fractured left massive toe. Before Musgrove had even taken the mound for the primary inning, he was staked to an early lead — a solo dwelling run by Fernando Tatis Jr., his first since 2021.
Behind Tatis, Musgrove and — gasp! — some well timed two-out hitting, the Padres bought again within the win column with a 5-3 victory over the D-backs.
“We should feel good about winning with whatever we run out there,” Padres supervisor Bob Melvin mentioned. “But when you start getting these guys back and you haven’t gotten off to the start that you want to, it gives you a little bit more confidence going into the games.”
It wasn’t fairly the Padres’ full contingent of superstars. Manny Machado sat with a sore again. (He’s anticipated to return to the lineup on Sunday.) But Tatis, Juan Soto and Xander Bogaerts mixed to attain all 5 Padres runs. It was a significant response after a 9-0 loss Friday raised additional questions in regards to the offense.
“We’re bouncing back together,” Tatis mentioned. “It’s going to be a long road. But we have a great team over here, and we know we’re going to get on that train track together.”
Musgrove was nowhere close to his sharpest, and his workload was at all times going to be restricted. But he nonetheless gritted his means via 5 innings of three-run ball on 80 pitches, putting out six and strolling none.
For Musgrove, it’s been a very long time coming. He fractured his toe in late February when he dropped a kettlebell on it within the group’s Spring Training weight room. As he neared a return in early April, he endured a setback — a shoulder damage when he landed awkwardly making an attempt to make an acrobatic defensive play.
“I had visualized and thought about this moment for a while,” Musgrove mentioned. “The delayed start creates some anticipation. But I felt like I did a really good job managing the nerves and the anticipation of the game. I felt great when I got out there.”
Musgrove surrendered the lead within the backside of the third when Christian Walker launched a two-run homer into the D-backs’ bullpen. But the Padres punched again.
They had entered play Saturday hitting simply .187 with two outs and males in scoring place – tied for the worst mark within the National League. But Ha-Seong Kim and Jake Cronenworth delivered essential two-out hits within the sixth and eighth innings, respectively.
The Padres had loaded the bases with no one out within the sixth, however Nelson Cruz and Cronenworth struck out, leaving it in Kim’s palms. Mired in a 2-for-30 hunch, Kim shot a go-ahead two-run single via the left aspect of the infield.
“It wasn’t a hard hit … but I was able to get a good result, so I kind of feel fortunate for that,” Kim mentioned in Korean via interpreter Leo Bae. “But on the other hand, I’ve been working hard to just get out of this slump. I’ve been working really hard. So I’m glad that it happened tonight.”
Cronenworth’s RBI single supplied some insurance coverage, earlier than Josh Hader slammed the door — with assist from Cronenworth and Bogaerts on one of many more odd 6-3 putouts you’ll ever see.
Kim had lower throughout Bogaerts’ path making an attempt to catch Evan Longoria’s smooth liner within the air. He missed, however Bogaerts picked it cleanly as he deftly averted a collision with Kim. Bogaerts had simply sufficient time to get to his ft and hearth to Cronenworth, who made an impressive choose as he managed to maintain his foot on first base.
“Great play by a great defender,” Kim mentioned, referring to Bogaerts, although actually he might’ve been speaking about both of them.
One batter later, Tatis snared Geraldo Perdomo’s liner to finish the sport. Musgrove had formally picked up his first win of the season.
After three weeks with out these two — this was extra prefer it.
“We already had a great team,” Kim mentioned. “And now we get two other great talents back. So it’s great to have them back, obviously. Now we can go to full speed the rest of the season and rack up a lot of wins.”
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