A-Rod’s nephew Dunand HR in debut; Marlins end skid, top SD
By BERNIE WILSON
AP Sports Writer
SAN DIEGO (AP) — Joe Dunand, the nephew of Alex Rodriguez, homered on the third pitch he saw as a big leaguer and then doubled as the Miami Marlins beat the San Diego Padres 8-0 Saturday night to end a six-game losing streak.
Jorge Soler hit his first career grand slam and Pablo López pitched eight strong innings for Miami.
Dunand hit a 1-1 pitch from left-hander Sean Manaea into the first row in left-center with one out in the third just hours after his contract was selected from Triple-A Jacksonville.
“I blacked out, I think. I don’t remember much,” Dunand said. “I just remember my game plan. I was looking for the ball up and hit it hard up the middle, and I think I picked back up running around second. It was a great feeling.”
A-Rod tweeted, “WOW! First MLB at-bat HOME RUN. Lets go Joe!!!” The tweet was accompanied by a video of some adults celebrating wildly.
“I haven’t looked at my phone. I’m sure it’s blowing up,” Dunand said. “But I’m sure I’ll watch it. I’m sure he went crazy.”
Dunand is 695 home runs behind his uncle, who is fourth on the all-time list after a career tainted by steroid use.
Dunand did not receive the silent treatment in the dugout after the homer, but he was doused in a wild clubhouse celebration. He also got the ball back from the kid who caught it, who asked to meet Marlins second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr.
“The kid wanted to meet Jazz and Jazz said, ‘I got you,’ so he went and met him and got me the ball. So thank you, Jazz,” Dunand said.
Dunand was promoted from Triple-A Jacksonville after Jon Berti was placed on the injured list. Dunand had been on the taxi squad for this trip through San Diego and Arizona. He started at third base and batted ninth.
The 26-year-old Dunand doubled to left in his second at-bat and scored on Garrett Cooper’s two-run double.
“I think he’s taking after his uncle,” Cooper said. “That’s a big first A-B. Good for him. That’s a memory he’ll always have, off a good All-Star pitcher. To come up with a double after, that’s huge for him and that’s a huge start for us to get that first run and take the lead early. Can’t say enough about the job he did in his first game.”
Cooper struck out leading off the eighth and was ejected by plate umpire D.J. Reyburn.
Soler’s grand slam highlighted the five-run ninth against San Diego’s bullpen. It was his fourth homer this season. Jazz Chisholm Jr. had an RBI double.
Lopez (4-1) shut down the Padres on five hits while striking out five and walking two. He has a 1.00 ERA after six starts.
The Padres were shut out for the first time this season.
Manny Machado singled in the Padres first to extend his on-base streak to 17 games.
Manaea (2-3) allowed three runs and seven hits in six innings, struck out eight and walked one.
BIG NUMBERS
Machado’s .382 average and .458 on-base percentage are the best in baseball and teammate Eric Hosmer’s .371 average and .451 OBP rank second. It’s the first time two teammates were ranked first and second in both categories after a team had played at least 27 games into a season since Pee Wee Reese and Jackie Robinson of the Brooklyn Dodgers led in both categories through May 23, 1951, which was 34 games into that season.
FIRST PITCH
San Diegan Chris Olave threw out the ceremonial first pitch. The wide receiver from Ohio State was the 11th pick overall by the New Orleans Saints in last week’s NFL Draft.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Marlins: Placed INF/OF Berti on the injured list and selected Dunand’s contract.
Padres: RF Matt Beaty came out of the game after making a diving attempt at Miguel Rojas’ double in the second. … Placed LHP Tim Hill on the 10-day IL, retroactive to Thursday, with left shoulder inflammation and recalled LHP Ray Kerr from Triple-A El Paso.
UP NEXT
Marlins LHP Trevor Rogers (1-4, 6.14) is scheduled to start the series finale on Sunday against Padres RHP Joe Musgrove (4-0, 1.97).
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