Xander Bogaerts delivered the decisive swing for San Diego with a walk-off grand slam in the 12th inning, giving the Padres a 7-3 win over the Rockies at Petco Park. The hit ended the longest game played at the ballpark in nearly five years and gave San Diego its first walk-off victory of the season in dramatic fashion.
The Padres survived a tense extra-inning battle that saw them down to their final out in the 11th before Luis Campusano tied the game with a two-run double. From there, Bogaerts finished the job after Colorado intentionally walked Jackson Merrill and Manny Machado to load the bases.
A long night ends with one swing
The inning turned quickly after Jake Cronenworth began the 12th as the automatic runner at second base. Fernando Tatis Jr. then laid down a sacrifice bunt, moving Cronenworth to third and forcing Colorado to choose its next move carefully.
The Rockies first walked Merrill, then Machado, setting up Bogaerts with the bases loaded and one simple task. Bogaerts said the approach was not about chasing a highlight, but about getting the run home in a game that had already lasted deep into the night.
“I just wanted to get the run in,” Bogaerts said. “It was a long game.”
Bogaerts punishes the pitch
Colorado brought in Valente Bellozo, and Bogaerts attacked the second pitch he saw. Bellozo’s first sinker missed the zone, and the next one caught the inside corner at thigh height, but Bogaerts turned on it and drove the ball into the left-field seats.
He did not need to watch it for long to know the result. Bogaerts dropped his bat, stepped back toward the dugout, and received high-fives from teammates as Petco Park erupted.
Key moments from the game
- Luis Campusano tied the game in the bottom of the 11th with a two-run double.
- Jake Cronenworth started the 12th as the automatic runner and later made a key defensive play.
- Colorado intentionally walked Jackson Merrill and Manny Machado to face Bogaerts with the bases loaded.
- Bogaerts hit a walk-off grand slam for his second with the Padres.
Historic finish for San Diego
Bogaerts became the 10th Padre to hit a walk-off grand slam and the first since Manny Machado did it in August 2020, the same week the “Slam Diego” nickname became part of the franchise’s identity. It was also the latest walk-off grand slam in Padres history by inning, whereas the club had not played a 12-inning home game since its 16-inning meeting with the Dodgers in August 2021.
Manager Craig Stammen praised Bogaerts’ timing and confidence in the moment. “He’s just swinging it really good right now,” Stammen said. “He’s got a lot of confidence. Him being in that spot, we felt really good about it.”
Why the moment stood out
Bogaerts said the surprise sacrifice bunt from Tatis changed the shape of the inning, and the intentional walks added more pressure before the final pitch. Still, the veteran shortstop said experience helped him stay ready for the situation and focus on putting the ball in play.
The win mattered beyond the highlight reel because it came after a long travel day and a game that stretched late into the night. Cronenworth summed up the mood in the clubhouse by noting how much longer the game took than anyone wanted, but the result made the wait worthwhile for San Diego.
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