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Padres star Manny Machado ruins Zach Wheeler’s elite start with moonshot home run
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- Padres star Manny Machado ruins Zach Wheeler’s elite start with moonshot home run
Padres star Manny Machado ruins Zach Wheeler's elite start with moonshot home run appeared first on ClutchPoints . Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
San Diego Padres star Manny Machado delivered a pivotal swing Thursday afternoon, hitting a 435-foot two-run home run off Philadelphia Phillies ace Zack Wheeler to bring the Padres back into the game.
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Wheeler had dominated through six hitless innings before Bryce Johnson broke up the no-hit bid with a leadoff single in the seventh. Machado followed by crushing a 95.7 mph four-seam fastball deep into left-center field, instantly trimming Philadelphia's lead from 3-0 to 3-2.
MLB took to X, formerly Twitter, showcasing the Padres captain's towering blast, which traveled 435 feet with a 107.3 mph exit velocity and a 29-degree launch angle. The homer marked Machado's 11th of the 2026 season.
The seven-time MLB All-Star's home run provided the Padres with their biggest offensive moment of the afternoon against one of baseball's hottest pitchers. Before the seventh inning, Wheeler had completely shut down San Diego 's lineup, using overpowering fastballs and sharp secondary pitches while recording eight strikeouts.
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The breakthrough began when Bryce Johnson opened the seventh inning with a single, ending Wheeler's no-hit bid. Machado then stepped to the plate and launched a two-run shot to deep left-center field, immediately cutting Philadelphia's lead to one run and shifting momentum back toward San Diego.
The blast was particularly notable given Wheeler's earlier success against Machado. The Phillies ace struck out the veteran slugger in each of his first two at-bats, needing just three pitches both times.
Entering Thursday's matchup, the Padres held a 32-28 record while the Phillies sat at 32-29, with both clubs battling near the top of their respective divisions. Machado's homer briefly kept San Diego close despite Wheeler's dominant outing, but Philadelphia now leads 6-2 heading to the bottom of the eighth inning.
Related: Phillies broadcaster rips Padres' effort after embarrassing season sweep
