Inside The Padres

Padres Punch Back with Win After Benches Clear Against Nationals

Maren Angus-Coombs

Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports
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Tensions carried over from the final play on Monday night into the first inning Tuesday between the San Diego Padres and Washington Nationals. The Padres got the last laugh with a 9-7 win in dramatic fashion.

Jurickson Profar delivered a walk-off single on Monday and when he stepped into the box for his first plate appearance on Tuesday, Washington catcher Keibert Ruiz engaged him in conversation.

“I just feel like it wasn’t great, what he did yesterday wasn’t great,” Ruiz said after the game. “I feel that myself, and I just wanted to let him know."

A few seconds later, Ruiz was pointing at Profar and touching his shoulder.

“That, I take exception,” Profar said later. “You can talk, but you can’t touch.”

The benches cleared but it was nothing more than a bunch of yelling. Nationals starting pitcher MacKenzie Gore hit Profar with the next pitch. Crew chief Adam Hamari had already warned both benches but nobody was ejected on the hit batter, triggering manager Mike Shildt, who began arguing that Gore should have been ejected.

Shildt was ejected.

“It’s a real head-scratcher,” Shildt said of how he was the one ejected.

Shildt didn't think Gore threw at Profar intentionally, and that it was "a tough situation for everybody involved." He was more pleased with what happened next.

Manny Machado yanked Gore's next pitch over the left-field wall for a home run.

The sixth inning sent Petco Park into a frenzy.

Profar launched a game-winning grand slam, providing the exclamation mark on an already exciting game. The Padres will go for the sweep on Wednesday.

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Maren Angus-Coombs
MAREN ANGUS-COOMBS

Maren Angus-Coombs was born in Los Angeles and raised in Nashville, Tenn. She is a graduate of Middle Tennessee State University and has been a sports writer since 2008. Despite being raised in the South, her sports obsession has always been in Los Angeles. She is currently a staff writer for the LA Sports Report Network.