SAN DIEGO (AP) — Martín Maldonado hit a tying home run in the fifth off San Diego native Trevor Williams and Jose Iglesias brought in the go-ahead run with a bases-loaded groundout in the sixth as the Padres beat the Washington Nationals 4-3 on Tuesday night.
The bottom four batters in the Padres' order each drove in a run.
Padres rookie right-hander Ryan Bergert was forced out in the fourth after being hit on his pitching elbow by a 103-mph line drive by Jacob Young. Bergert bent over for a minute with his arm pulled in tight and then popped up and grabbed the ball, which landed near the rubber. He threw to first but Young beat it out for an infield single.
After being checked by a trainer, Bergert came out. He was replaced by Adrian Morejon. Young eventually scored on James Wood’s grounder to give the Nationals a 3-0 lead.
Wood, a former Padres' prospect, also drew a bases-loaded walk in the second.
The Padres began their comeback when they scored twice off Williams in the fourth, on Xander Bogaerts' groundout and Jake Cronenworth's RBI double.
Maldonado, the No. 9 hitter, tied it with a homer to left-center, his fourth.
Williams was chased after walking the first two batters in the sixth and Cole Henry came on and walked the bases loaded. But the Padres got only one run, on Iglesias' groundout.
Williams (3-9) allowed four runs and four hits in seven innings, with three walks and one strikeout.
Jason Adam (6-3) got the win and Robert Suarez pitched the ninth for his 22nd save, tied for the most in the majors.
Key moment
Suarez struck out Wood to end it. Wood had three hits and four RBIs in Washington's 10-6 win Monday night.
Key stat
Morejon has a 1.15 ERA in the 17 career relief outings he's been asked to get six-plus outs. That includes an active 18-inning scoreless innings streak across the seven such outings since Oct. 3, 2022.
Up next
Nationals LHP MacKenzie Gore (3-7, 3.19 ERA) and Padres RHP Nick Pivetta (7-2, 3.64) are scheduled to start the series finale Wednesday. Gore was one of six players acquired from San Diego for Juan Soto on Aug. 2, 2022.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB
Bernie Wilson, The Associated Press