Veteran Peralta’s First Home Run of Season Helps Padres Defeat Rangers
ARLINGTON, Texas—David Peralta is just filling in for All-Star right fielder Fernando Tatis Jr., and the 36-year-old veteran knows it.
Just one more reason to savor the biggest moment of his season with the San Diego Padres.
Peralta hit a tiebreaking, two-run home run, his first of the season, in the seventh inning Wednesday night in the Padres' 6–4 victory over the Texas Rangers.
The 427-foot drive into the Texas bullpen in right-center field helped give the Padres their 10th win in the past 13 games. San Diego ended the Rangers' three-game home shutout streak on Manny Machado's two-run shot in the third.
Tatis hasn't played since June 21 because of a stress reaction in his right thigh bone and might be sidelined past the upcoming All-Star break.
Enter Peralta, who started the season in the Chicago Cubs' minor-league system and began his stint in the San Diego organization the same way before joining the big-league club in May.
The 118th homer of his career was his first since last July 8, for the Los Angeles Dodgers against the rival Los Angeles Angels.
"Big relief," said Peralta, who is hitting .210. "It's just this moment, working so hard every single day to help the team to do something. And finally, I did something good for the team."
Jurickson Profar had two hits on the night he was named an All-Star for the first time as a National League starter. The nod came almost 12 years after Profar made his major-league debut as a 19-year-old for the Rangers, with him in the city of his original team, and where the All-Star Game will be held July 16.
Corey Seager had a tying RBI double in the third inning as a late add to the lineup for Texas. The star shortstop had missed the previous two games after getting hit by a pitch on the left wrist in Baltimore.
"Our training staff, they worked on him, and he was telling them he thought he could go, but he wanted to take some swings," Texas Manager Bruce Bochy said. "He did that. I got the word that he could play. It was great to have him out there."
The Rangers led 4–2 in the fifth after Profar scored on rookie Jackson Merrill's dribbler down the third-base line. The ball bounced over the bag, landed in foul territory, and was ruled fair by crew chief Alfonso Márquez at third.
Luis Arraez's tying single in the sixth set the stage for Peralta, who is playing for his fourth team in three seasons after an 8 1/2-year run with Arizona.
The 36-year-old Venezuelan jumped on a changeup from starter-turned-reliever Dane Dunning (4–7) and raised his right arm while approaching second base as the Rangers' six-game home winning streak ended.
"The thing I appreciate about David is it was a relief clearly for himself, but I really sincerely believe it was a relief to know he's helping this club, which he has," Padres Manager Mike Shildt said. "He's helped this club in a lot of different ways."
Left-handed reliever Adrián Morejón (2–1) retired all five batters he faced after rookie Japanese lefty Yuki Matsui got all four of his outs on strikeouts.
Robert Suarez struck out two while getting the last four outs for his 21st save.
Machado's 11th homer, and fourth in seven games—off Texas starter Jon Gray—ended a three-game home shutout streak for the Rangers and put the Padres up 2–0 in the third.
Seager's tying double came in the bottom of the third after Leody Taveras' sacrifice fly, and the Rangers went in front when Josh Smith lined a pitch to just about the same spot as Seager in the right-field corner.
By Schuyler Dixon
