SAN FRANCISCO -- Throughout August, as
“We all knew it was just a matter of time,” said Padres manager Andy Green. “... It’s good to see him heat up a little bit. He's obviously the guy in the middle of our order.”\n\nIt’s only two games, but Machado’s breakout is an encouraging finish to his worst month since signing a record-setting 10-year deal in February. Through July, Machado was his usual ultra-productive self. In August, he batted .221/.289/.337 with two homers in 27 games.\n\nBut those aren’t the numbers that bother Machado. In the second half, the Padres are 18-27, and they’ve slid from playoff contention. After Saturday’s come-from-behind win, Machado offered an assertive message on the importance of the season’s final month.\n\n“We've got to go out there and finish,” Machado said. “Until the last game is done, until the last out is made in the season, we need to keep grinding it out. ... If we can do that and put ourselves in a good situation with good momentum going into next year, we know what we have coming next year. \n\n“It's a matter of playing it out and not taking these last games for granted. Because come next year we're going to be playing for something around this time.”\n\nFor the Padres to put themselves in contention next September, they’ve got work left to do. The rotation is the Major Leagues’ youngest, and the lineup has holes. But on Saturday night at least, the idea didn’t seem so far-fetched.\n\nMachado’s go-ahead run was made possible by a gutty effort from Padres starter
Of course, the Padres are still nine games below .500 and fourth in the NL West, 23 1/2 games behind the Dodgers. There’s a huge gap to close. But Machado is convinced that a handful of the right pieces are already in place on one of the sport’s youngest rosters.\n\n“We're learning,” Machado said. “We're learning, and they're adjusting pretty quickly. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. But we have the right mentality of: It's going to take all nine of us.”\n\nEscape act\n\nIn the bottom of the sixth, Green emerged for a chat with Lucchesi, who had worked himself into a bit of trouble. At first, Lucchesi thought Green was coming for a quick hook. The Padres skipper quickly assured his starter that wasn’t the case.\n\n“He said, ‘No keep [the ball], you're going to get out of this,’” Lucchesi recalled. “‘We believe in you.’ I was like, ‘All right, hell yeah, Andy. Thanks.’ Then, I was like: ‘I'm for sure going to get this guy.’”\n\nWith the bases loaded and one out, Lucchesi got Mauricio Dubon to hit a slow chopper back up the middle. Second baseman Greg Garcia fielded the ball, stepped on the bag, and lobbed to first for an inning-ending double play. Lucchesi skipped off the mound.\n
“Confidence was definitely raised today,” Lucchesi said. “Getting out of jam like that -- it could either go one way or another.”\n\n**Production out of left field**\n\nMaking his first start since he joined the Padres earlier this week as a waiver claim,