BASEBALL: Xander Bogaerts' slam lifts Padres to 12-inning win over Rockies

Xander Bogaerts delivered a dramatic walk-off grand slam in the bottom of the 12th inning Thursday night, lifting the San Diego Padres to a thrilling 7-3 victory over the visiting Colorado Rockies.

The Padres set up the decisive moment after Fernando Tatis Jr. opened the 12th with a sacrifice bunt, advancing automatic runner Jake Cronenworth to third base. Following the play, Rockies reliever Valente Bellozo issued intentional walks to Jackson Merrill and Manny Machado, loading the bases.

On a 1-0 pitch, Bogaerts made them pay, driving a line shot into the left-field seats for his second home run of the season and sealing the Padres’ comeback win.

David Morgan earned the win after tossing 1 2/3 hitless innings in relief. The Rockies threatened in the top of the 12th, moving the potential go-ahead run to third base, but Willi Castro was thrown out at the plate on Brenton Doyle’s grounder to Cronenworth at second base.

The game featured back-and-forth scoring in extra innings. In the 10th, Tyler Freeman gave Colorado a 2-1 lead with an RBI single, but Machado answered in the bottom half with a sacrifice fly to tie the game.

In the 11th, both clubs again traded blows. Brett Sullivan pushed Colorado ahead 3-2 with an RBI double into the right-field corner, but Padres catcher Luis Campusano responded with a two-out RBI double down the left-field line to keep San Diego alive.

Neither team’s starter figured in the decision. Rockies pitcher Chase Dollander entered after a scoreless inning from Jimmy Herget, allowing one run on four hits and one walk over 4 1/3 innings while striking out three.

For San Diego, Randy Vásquez was solid in a no-decision, giving up one run on seven hits over 5 2/3 innings without issuing a walk and striking out eight. His lone mistake came in the third inning, when Brenton Doyle launched a solo home run estimated at 408 feet to center field for his first homer of the year.

The Padres answered quickly in the bottom of the third. Freddy Fermin reached on an infield single, advanced to third on a Jake Cronenworth hit, and scored on Tatis Jr.’s sacrifice fly to left field.

Colorado catcher Hunter Goodman left the game after being struck on the hand by a Vásquez pitch in the sixth inning, later departing with a cut on his right middle finger.

After a tense, seesaw battle that stretched into the 12th inning, Bogaerts’ grand slam finally brought the night to an emphatic finish for San Diego. -Field Level Media/Reuters