Padres Score Today: Live Result, Key Highlights & What It Means for the NL West

SAN DIEGO — Manny Machado’s flair for late-game drama was on full display Monday night at Petco Park, where the perennial All-Star erased a one-run deficit with an eighth-inning blast and set the stage for the Padres’ 4-3, 11-inning walk-off victory over the Miami Marlins. The come-from-behind win pushes San Diego to 30-22, tightening the NL West race as the club closes May just a game and a half behind division-leading Los Angeles. Clutch swing flips the script Down 3-2 with two outs in the eighth, Machado ambushed a first-pitch fastball from Miami reliever A.J. Puk and launched it 410 feet into the left-field stands. The homer—his 11th of the season—ignited a sellout crowd of 42,312 and injected new life into a Padres lineup that had been stymied by Marlins starter Jesús Luzardo for seven innings. Extra-inning heroics After Luis Arraez’s two-out single put Miami ahead in the top of the 11th, San Diego answered immediately. Automatic runner Jackson Merrill advanced on a wild pitch, Fernando Tatis Jr. worked a walk, and Xander Bogaerts delivered the decisive RBI single through the right-side shift. When Miami right fielder Jazz Chisholm Jr. mishandled the hop, Tatis raced all the way home with the winning run as fireworks erupted over the Gaslamp Quarter skyline. Bullpen keeps the door ajar The victory wouldn’t have been possible without three scoreless frames from the Padres’ high-leverage trio. Robert Suárez, Yuki Matsui and closer Josh Hader combined for seven strikeouts while allowing just one hit from the eighth through the 10th, preserving the tie until San Diego could break through. Why it matters • Momentum surge: The Padres have now taken four of their last five, including two straight walk-offs, and own the NL’s second-best home record (18-7). • Division pressure: Los Angeles dropped a 5-4 decision in Colorado, shaving San Diego’s deficit to 1.5 games and fueling chatter that the West could be a dogfight all summer. • Machado milestone: The two-time Gold Glover moved past the 1,600-hit mark and needs just five more home runs to join the exclusive 350/1000 HR/RBI club. Key stats • Padres starters have posted a 2.74 ERA over the last nine contests. • Tatis is slashing .333/.386/.588 during a current 12-game hitting streak. • San Diego is 8-2 in games decided in the final at-bat, tops in MLB. What’s next Manager Mike Shildt hands the ball to right-hander Dylan Cease (5-2, 2.83) tonight in game two of the four-game set. Miami counters with rookie phenom Max Meyer (2-1, 3.12). First pitch is slated for 6:40 p.m. PT, and another packed house is expected as the Padres chase their fifth straight series win. SEO keywords: Padres score, San Diego Padres vs Marlins, Manny Machado home run, Padres walk-off, NL West standings, Petco Park game recap, Padres bullpen, San Diego baseball highlights.