San Diego Padres second baseman Jake Cronenworth has received some trade interest over the past week and he showed why with a 1-for-3 night with a double and two runs scored that proved to be the difference in a 3-1 win over the St. Louis Cardinals, Saturday.
Cronenworth was hit by a pitch in the top of the second and reached first base with one out. He came around to score two batters later when Bryce Johnson hit a two-out single to center field, which resulted in a throwing error by Cardinals centerfielder
Victor Scott II. Cronenworth crossed the plate and put the Padres up, 1-0.
Hit by Johnson. Wheels by Cronenworth. pic.twitter.com/3c6DZTTGMj
— San Diego Padres (@Padres) July 26, 2025
St. Louis tied the game in the bottom of the second inning when Jordan Walker doubled to center field, which allowed Nolan Arenado, who reached on a one-out walk, to come home to make the score, 1-1.
#Padres 1 #Cardinals 1 [B2–2o]:
— MLB Run Videos (@MLBRBIs) July 27, 2025
Jordan Walker doubles: line drive to CF
Hit: 109.2mph, 383ft, 17°, .741xBA
Pitch: 92.4mph Cutter (RHP R.Vásquez)#ForTheFaithful #ForTheLou #MLB pic.twitter.com/qc1ygTnFrR
San Diego regained the lead in the top of the fourth inning when Cronenworth led off with a double to right field. He moved to third base on a Jose Iglesias ground out for the first out of the inning. Johnson laid down a sacrifice bunt that allowed Cronenworth to score to put the Padres in front, 2-1.
Bryce Johnson executes a safety squeeze and reaches on a fielder's choice, while Jake Cronenworth slides in safely at home to put the Padres in front#ForTheFaithful pic.twitter.com/u7rChZMiZa
— San Diego Strong (@PadresStrong) July 27, 2025
San Diego tacked on a run in the top of the ninth inning when Fernando Tatis Jr. hit a hard ground ball off the glove of Masyn Winn at shortstop. The ball kicked away from Winn and Johnson scored from third base to make the score, 3-1.
#Padres 3 #Cardinals 1 [T9–2o]:
— MLB Run Videos (@MLBRBIs) July 27, 2025
Fernando Tatis Jr. grounds out: ground ball to SS
Hit: 89.1mph, 8ft, -23°, .147xBA
Pitch: 84.1mph Slider (RHP A.Granillo)#ForTheFaithful #ForTheLou #MLB pic.twitter.com/u8pgrN1LqN
Randy Vasquez continued to perform his role on the mound with another solid start that saw him unable to earn a win. Vasquez completed 4 2/3 innings and allowed one run on one hit with a walk and two strikeouts.
Vasquez handed the game over to the bullpen and watched as Adrian Morejon got the final out in the fifth and the first two outs in the sixth without allowing a run. Jeremiah Estrada finished the sixth and pitched a scoreless seventh and Jason Adam did the same in the eighth.
The game was turned over to Robert Suarez in the bottom of the ninth. The San Diego closer retired Alec Burleson with a strikeout and then hit Willson Contreras on an 0-2 pitch. Suarez got Nolan Arenado to fly out to right field and he secured the win for the Padres with a ground ball to shortstop resulted in a force out at second base.
San Diego plays St. Louis, Sunday at 11:15 a.m. to wrap up the four-game series.
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