New-look Padres beat Cardinals for sixth consecutive victory

SAN DIEGO — San Diego Padres players paid attention to varying degrees throughout Thursday as A.J. Preller went about one of his more prolific trading benders.

Group texts were filled with declarations of excitement and possible scenarios and predictions about what might come next.

“It was crazy,” Gavin Sheets said Wednesday afternoon. “It was crazy.”

For those who have been around a while, there was also a sense that it was just another end of July.

“I’m not surprised at anything he does anymore,” Jake Cronenworth said.

Manny Machado absorbed the news about the four different trades involving 22 minor and major leaguers coming and going and the six big leaguers who would be joining the Padres, and he essentially shrugged.

“Never shocked by anything we do at the deadline,” Machado said.

Since 2020, the year after Machado joined the team, the Padres have made an MLB-high 25 trades at the deadline. They have brought in an average of five new players every year.

“I mean, welcome to San Diego Padres deadline,” Machado said. “It never (ceases) to impress. It’s pretty cool. We got guys that are gonna be a big impact on our ballclub, guys that we needed, that are going to fit in perfect. So I think it was a successful day for the Padres organization.”

Those things, of course cannot be known. All that can be asked is that players and fans are given a reason to feel that way.

Then comes the actual playing of games.

“Getting these guys is definitely an upgrade, definitely a help,” Machado said. “It sends a message that we’re ready to win, and we’re going to go for it. We’ve got the ballclub that is able to do it and compete. So now it’s up to us to go out there and do it. They’re putting the faith in us.”

The Padres’ first game post-deadline got off to a slow start, but an inexplicable decision and an error by St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Willson Contreras helped lead to a four-run fifth inning and got the Padres on their way to a 4-1 victory.

Nick Pivetta allowed one batter to reach base in seven innings at the start in his team-leading 14th quality start.

When he was finished, Mason Miller made his Padres debut in what became something of an adventurous but ultimately scoreless eighth inning before Robert Suarez worked the ninth for the major league-leading 31st save.

It was the Padres’ sixth consecutive victory, one shy of their longest winning streak of the season, and it got them back to a season-best 12 games above .500 for the first time since May 14.

All but one of the new Padres were in their new uniforms Friday. Starting pitcher Nestor Cortes is expected to arrive Saturday.

With left-hander Matthew Liberatore starting the mound for the Cardinals, left fielder Ramon Laureano was the only Padres newcomer in the lineup Friday night.

He went 0-for-4.

First baseman Ryan O’Hearn, a left-handed batter, pinch-hit for Jose Iglesias in the sixth inning and was hit in the foot by a pitch. He also lined out to end the eighth inning.

Starting pitcher JP Sears and catcher Freddy Fermin watched from the dugout as the game began with the Padres getting two hits and trailing 1-0 after four innings.

Jake Cronenworth’s one-out walk got things started in the bottom of the fifth. But it was what happened after Jose Iglesias’ grounder to third base that really provided the Padres a boost.

Third baseman Nolan Gorman’s throw was wide of first base, and the ball caromed off Contreras’ glove and to the side wall, allowing Cronenworth to scamper to third and Iglesias to second.

Contreras, whose homer had given the Cardinals the lead, chased after the ball. On his way back toward the infield, he saw Cronenworth leading off third base and decided to throw there despite having virtually no chance to get the out based on how close Cronenworth was to the bag.

The throw bounced wildly past Gorman and to the other side wall, as Cronenworth jogged home.

Elias Díaz followed with a single to drive in Iglesias. A walk by Fernando Tatis Jr. and single by Luis Arraez loaded the bases. And after Machado struck out, Jackson Merrill lined a single to center field that drove in Díaz and Tatis to put the Padres up 4-1.

Pivetta and the two closers would make it stand.

Miller came in throwing hard, as usual. None of his five fastballs were slower than 101.5 mph. But two sliders were hit for singles before he recorded a strikeout and got out of the inning on a superb double play started by Machado.

Suarez also got out of the ninth with help from a double play.

And so the first night of the newish Padres was a success.

The Padres remained 31/2 games up on the Cincinnati Reds in the race for the National League’s final wild-car spot and three games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West.

The goal remains the same as it was before Thursday. It is just clearer now.

“Try to go win it all,” Machado said. “That’s been our goal. We’ve got to go through the Dodgers. So hopefully, go out there and compete for that division and ultimately try to bring a championship to the city, which is our main goal.”