Machado homers in hit parade, Padres pelt Cubs 19-5

CHICAGO - Manny Machado lined a single for his 1,500th hit and hit a two-run homer in a four-RBI night to help the San Diego Padres beat the reeling Chicago Cubs 19-5 on Wednesday night.

Machado was one of five Padres with three hits as San Diego routed the Cubs for the second straight hot night at Wrigley Field. Jorge Alfaro added a two-run homer and three RBIs as San Diego improved to 40-24 in winning its third straight and seventh in nine.

Jake Cronenworth and Jurickson Profar each doubled twice and had three hits for the Padres, who entered the game percentage points behind the first-place Dodgers in the NL West. Luke Voit hit a solo homer off Frank Schwindel, mopping up in the ninth, for his third hit.

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Rookie Chistopher Morel had a solo shot and three RBIs for the Cubs, losers of nine straight. San Diego has outscored Chicago 35-11 in the first three of a four-game series.

Machado reached his milestone in the first and drove in the game’s first run. The five-time All-Star’s homer in the fifth was his 11th and capped a six-run rally that put the game away.

Machado became the 17th player to have 1,500 hits and 250 homers before turning 30. The 29-year-old also had an infield single and walked twice in going 3 for 4.

Cronenworth had two RBIs in his third straight three-hit game. The 28-year-old infielder has nine hits in 14 at-bats in three games after entering the series batting just .221.

Daniel Norris #49 of the Chicago Cubs sits in the dugout after being pulled during the fifth inning of a game against the San Diego Padres at Wrigley Field on June 15, 2022 in Chicago. (Photo by Nuccio DiNuzzo/Getty Images)

Both starters, Chicago’s Caleb Kilian and San Diego’ Ryan Weathers, were recalled from the minors to fill gaps in their team’s rotations – and struggled with control.

Craig Stammen (1-0) pitched two innings for the win. Kilian (0-1) lost in his second major league start.

After Machado’s run-scoring hit, San Diego increased its lead to 2-0 on Alfaro’s force out in the first.

The Cubs pounced on Weathers’ wildness in the second. He walked two with the bases loaded to force in runs, and Morel followed with a single that put Chicago ahead 4-2.

After Kilian hit Ha-Seong Kim with a pitch in the fourth, the Padres sprayed three straight hits, capped by Cronenworth’ second double, to take a 5-4 lead.

The Padres added six more runs in the fifth to increase its lead to 11-4. Kim’s triple in the rally drove in two runs, then Machado’s shot to left-center capped it

Morel homered in the sixth for the Cubs, and the Padres blew it open with five in the seventh, including Alfaro’s line shot to right.

FOR STARTERS

Weathers, called up from Triple-A El Paso for his first start since last August, allowed four runs and six hits while walking four.

The 25-year-old Kilian was shaky in this one, following a no-decision in his debut on June 4 against St. Louis. This time, the 6-foot-4 righty allowed five runs and five hits with five walks in four innings.

Kilian was acquired in a trade that sent Kris Bryant to the Giants last July.

Three Cubs starters — left-handers Wade Miley and Drew Smyly and righty Marcus Stroman — are out with injuries.

SKIDS

The Cubs had a 12-game losing streak last season, running Aug. 5-16.

PADRES MOVE

To make room for Weathers, the Padres optioned LHP Ray Kerr to Triple-A El Paso.

TRAINER’S ROOM:

Padres: Interim manager and quality control coach Ryan Flaherty had no update before the game on any personnel out with COVID-19. Manager Bob Melvin, bench coach Ryan Christenson, RHP Mike Clevinger and LHP Adrian Morejon remain in coronavirus protocols.

Cubs: To make room for Kilian on the roster, the Chicago placed INF Nick Madrigal on the 10-day IL with a left groin strain, retroactive to June 12. Madrigal last played on Friday at New York against the Yankees. ... Manager David Ross said OF Seiya Suzuki (left ring finger sprain) is throwing and has resumed some baseball activities, but isn’t hitting yet.

UP NEXT Padres RHP Joe Musgrove (7-0, 1.50) faces Cubs RHP Matt Swarmer (1-1, 4.24) in the series finale on Thursday afternoon. Musgrove will pitch on five days’ rest, and the Padres’ 6-foot-5 ace hasn’t allowed a run in two previous starts with five days’ rest this season.