Nationals set the tone early, however Padres reply with authority in 9-7 win

Earlier than Tuesday’s sport, there have been rumblings {that a} handful of Nationals had taken exception to the incident. As Jesse Winker made the final out of the highest of the primary inning Tuesday, had some phrases for Profar as they crossed paths leaving the sector.

As Profar, hitting second, stepped into the batter’s field within the backside half, catcher Keibert Ruiz initiated a dialog, tapping on Profar’s chest along with his pointer finger as Profar — at first — didn’t make eye contact. Ultimately, he did that and extra, verbally sparring with the Nationals’ catcher earlier than the Padres’ Manny Machado, who was ready within the on-deck circle, pushed Ruiz away, main the dugouts and bullpens to empty onto the sector.

Injured Nationals pitcher Trevor Williams held Ruiz again. A Padres coach restrained Profar, far-off from the scrum. Nationals Supervisor Dave Martinez and Padres Supervisor Mike Shildt entered the fray, with Shildt seeming to be notably bothered by the incident. The umpires issued warnings to each dugouts.

“He felt like he wanted to say one thing,” Martinez mentioned of Ruiz. “And truthfully, I used to be happy with him. I actually was. I imply, like I mentioned, typically you carry feelings in your sleeve. Generally you swallow it. However I like the truth that he caught up for our guys.”

He continued: “For me, [the conversation] was a great way to ship a message. Like, ‘Hey, you hit the ball, you received the sport, however we’re not going to tolerate that.’ ” Requested what “that” he was referring to, Martinez declined to elaborate.

Ruiz mentioned he had not deliberate to speak with Profar till the outfielder walked as much as the plate, saying that the adrenaline and the ballpark acquired the higher of him.

“I simply really feel prefer it wasn’t nice — what he did yesterday wasn’t nice,” Ruiz mentioned. “I really feel that myself, and I simply needed to let him know.”

On the primary pitch of Profar’s at-bat, MacKenzie Gore hit him within the leg with a 97.7-mph fastball however circled and grimaced, indicating that it was not intentional, which he then confirmed after the sport. The umpires agreed it was sufficient to keep away from an ejection. As a result of nobody had been tossed — but — Shildt got here again out to argue and was thrown out of the sport.

One pitch later, Machado launched a two-run homer that despatched Petco Park and its paid attendance of 40,825 to an depth stage that topped Monday’s walk-off win. Profar rounded the bases and raised his arms, then waited for Machado to the touch dwelling plate earlier than he dusted off his shoulder. Virtually everybody within the Padres dugout got here out and celebrated the house run.

Ruiz and Winker have been booed closely in successive at-bats, however the latter gave the Nationals a third-inning lead with a two-run homer. Washington stayed within the dugout — which Martinez took delight in, and Winker thought nothing of.

“I like it. I actually do,” Martinez mentioned. “We have a good time amongst ourselves. We don’t must have a good time in entrance of different groups or folks. I like the character of this crew. I actually do. I discuss it on a regular basis, however these guys don’t stop. They play exhausting. We are likely to do issues the suitable means. And I like that about them.”

Stated Winker: “With regards to celebrating, the place baseball is at now, I really feel prefer it’s sort of just like the lid is off, the place you possibly can have a good time the way you need. Universally and [in] baseball it’s effective. Some guys have a good time, some guys like Lane Thomas hits a house run, places his head down and runs. … There’s no proper or mistaken.”

All of a sudden, on the precipice of enjoying .500 baseball in June for the primary time in three seasons, the Nationals are teetering following 4 of their wackiest video games this season.

On Saturday, the Nationals (38-41) suffered the primary walk-off loss by way of pitch clock violation in MLB historical past. On Sunday, they labored by means of 5⅓ no-hit innings in opposition to a starter with an ERA over 13.00 who had simply been activated from the 60-day injured listing earlier than scoring two runs within the ninth to win. On Monday, the Nationals mounted a three-run comeback, took a three-run lead within the prime of the tenth and acquired walked off. On Tuesday, there was all of this.

At Petco Park in opposition to the Padres (43-41), the Nationals didn’t move the primary check. Two weeks in the past, Gore acquired right into a spat with teammate Nick Senzel within the dugout, however completed the sport with 10 strikeouts and mended the connection earlier than the sport’s finish. On Tuesday, he couldn’t fairly muster the identical response. The lefty labored within the fifth, permitting three extra runs to finish his begin along with his head down, 5 earned runs, one strikeout (to tie a profession low) and a 5-4 deficit.

After which, with the bases filled with Padres within the sixth and Nationals reliever Dylan Floro out of the sport after conceding the three singles that acquired them there, Profar had one little bit of poetry left to jot down, taking Derek Regulation’s cutter 353 toes to proper area, tucking it contained in the foul pole for a grand slam and issuing a 9-4 lead. There have been fewer theatrics this time — maybe a gradual trot, although with out a taunt or gesture to the gang, all whereas Regulation kicked some grime round on the mound — because the followers showered Profar with MVP chants.

The Nationals pushed two extra runs throughout within the eighth, scoring by way of a sacrifice fly from Joey Meneses and an RBI double from Harold Ramírez for his first hit as a Nationwide. CJ Abrams added an RBI single within the ninth.

Ruiz, simply 25 but one of many longest tenured gamers on the roster, has been a quiet and regular presence since he arrived from the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2021 as a part of the commerce for Max Scherzer and Trea Turner. Winker, signed to a one-year deal early in spring coaching, has emerged as one of many extra intense personalities on the Nats and was recorded after Monday’s sport chirping with a Padres fan. Requested after Tuesday’s sport whether or not he blocked out the noise, Winker referenced the incident.

“Properly, I can’t say I block it out as a result of yesterday I talked to a fan,” he mentioned. “However you attempt to. The followers are captivated with their crew. It’s their solely crew within the metropolis, I consider. They promote out each night time … [but] it’s all good.”

Notes: Josiah Grey (flexor pressure) made his fourth rehab begin with Class AAA Rochester, tossing an environment friendly 73 pitches in six innings whereas permitting one earned run on 4 hits with no walks and 4 strikeouts. The appropriate-hander, who has been out since early April, blended in six of his seven pitches and sat 92 mph along with his four-seamer, which was at 93 mph to begin the 12 months.