TORONTO — The Toronto Blue Jays are still optimistic that Alek Manoah can turn his season around.
Juan Soto had a two-run home run and an RBI double as San Diego's big bats carried the Padres past the Blue Jays 9-1 on Tuesday. Despite taking his eighth loss of the season, Manoah was pleased he kept his composure in another frustrating outing.
"I think the way I handled it was by just trying to make pitches after pitches," said Manoah. "I had a couple of bad breaks but it is what it is.
"I just have to make pitches and do everything I can to help the team."
Manoah (2-8) gave up four runs on four hits and five walks over three innings. Nate Pearson, Jay Jackson and Mitch White came out of Toronto's bullpen, with Pearson and White allowing a combined five runs.
Soto's first-inning homer came after Manoah threw a change-up that appeared to be in the zone but home plate umpire Malachi Moore called it a ball instead of a third strike.
"I can't really control some things that happened tonight," said Manoah. "My job is to just continue to try and control what I can control and forget about whatever already happened and just try to focus on the next pitch."
The six-foot-six Manoah was 16-7 with a 2.24 earned-run average in 31 starts last year and finished third in American League Cy Young Award voting. He started this season 1-7 with a 6.36 ERA before being demoted to the minors to focus on his delivery.
Manoah returned to the Blue Jays on July 7 with a promising eight-strikeout, one-run performance over six innings in a 12-2 win in Detroit. After a lengthy rest including the all-star break, Tuesday's game was an opportunity for Manoah to keep rebuilding.
"I thought he was probably a little bit better in Detroit and he's going to continue to try to make strides," said Toronto manager John Schneider. "It could have been a little bit different tonight."
Matt Chapman was responsible for all of Toronto's offence with an RBI single as the Blue Jays (53-42) saw a four-game win streak end.
Manny Machado and Gary Sánchez had solo homers in the fifth inning as the Padres (45-50) snapped a three-game losing skid. Trent Grisham added a solo shot and Jake Cronenworth had an RBI double. Sánchez and Cronenworth each had a sacrifice fly.
Joe Musgrove (9-2) struck out seven and allowed a run on five hits and a walk over six innings. Relievers Tom Cosgrove and Alek Jacob did not allow a run.
The Padres got to Manoah quickly, with Fernando Tatis Jr., drawing a walk and then Soto's home run bringing him home in the first.
Chapman replied for the Blue Jays in the bottom of the inning with a single up the middle to score George Springer from second.
Toronto pitching coach Pete Walker was tossed from the game in the next inning as he had a mound meeting with Manoah after he walked Grisham on another borderline call. Walker's mouth was covered as he spoke to Manoah but Moore, standing nearby to keep the mound visit brief, clearly did not like what he heard.
"I don't think anything Pete said would get you kicked out of a 10-year-old's travel ballpark, but it is what it is," said Manoah, adding that he wasn't sure if Walker said something on his way to the mound.
"I just know that he was talking to me and said 'there was a couple of calls that didn't go our way but don't worry about it, just keep pitching, I'll handle everything else,' and next thing you know, he was tossed."
Soto tacked on another run — again driving in Tatis — in the third.
Tatis doubled when his hit went off third base into foul territory. In the next at bat Soto lofted the ball to right field where Springer dived to make the catch but mistimed it, rolling on the ground as the ball bounced past him.
"You look at the first couple innings and yes, close pitch, and the ball off the bag, and George loses one in the lights and momentum is a big thing in the game too, you know what I mean?" said Schneider.
Cronenworth's sacrifice fly three batters later plated Soto to give the Padres a 4-1 lead.
Machado and Sánchez added home runs off Pearson in the fifth, with Grisham hitting his in the eighth.
Cronenworth's ninth-inning double cashed in Soto and in the next at bat, Sánchez's sac fly scored Machado.
ON DECK — José Berríos (8-6) takes the mound in Toronto's second game against San Diego. Yu Darvish (6-6) is scheduled to start for the Padres.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 18, 2023.
John Chidley-Hill, The Canadian Press