Padres pound 20 hits in rout of Nationals

Jackson Merrill and Xander Bogaerts each had four hits, Jurickson Profar homered for the second straight game and the San Diego Padres routed the Washington Nationals 12-3 on Wednesday night.

Kyle Higashioka had three hits - including a home run - for the Padres, who have won four straight.

San Diego starter Matt Waldron (6-9) gave up three runs on four hits over six innings.

The Padres racked up 20 hits and improved to 5-0 versus Washington in 2024.

Juan Yepez homered to extend his hitting streak to 15 games, and Luis Garcia Jr. had two hits for the Nationals, who were held to six hits one night after managing five in a 4-0 loss.

Rookie starter Mitchell Parker (5-6) was tagged for six runs on seven hits over three innings. San Diego tacked on against the Washington bullpen, and the Nationals ultimately called upon infielder Ildemaro Vargas, who pitched a scoreless ninth.

Washington took an early 3-0 lead. Lane Thomas and Jesse Winker singled with one out in the first, with Winker's hit driving in Thomas from first. Yepez followed with a line-drive homer to center to score Winker.

Ha-Seong Kim walked leading off the San Diego second and moved to third on Merrill's double. Parker retired the next two batters before Luis Arraez hit a two-run single. Profar followed with a homer to center, giving the Padres a 4-3 lead.

Kim walked with one out in the third. Merrill singled and Higashioka doubled, with Kim scoring and Merrill stopping at third. Merrill scored on a sacrifice to make it 6-3.

Jordan Weems came on to pitch the fourth and was greeted by singles from Profar and Bogaerts. After both runners advanced on a fly out, Jake Cronenworth singled home Profar and Bogaerts to increase the lead to 8-3. Merrill tripled home Cronenworth with two outs, Higashioka followed with a homer to left center to make it 11-3.

Bogaerts singled with one out in the fifth and came all the way around on a double by Manny Machado.

--Field Level Media