Globe iconLogin iconRecap iconSearch iconTickets icon
High-A Affiliate
The Official Site of the Jersey Shore BlueClaws Jersey Shore BlueClaws

Sacramento's Padlo parks three home runs

River Cats slugger matches career high with six-RBI afternoon
@Steph_Sheehan
May 1, 2022

Kevin Padlo has hit six home runs this season, three of them on Sunday. All six of them have been at Isotopes Park in Albuquerque. But Padlo does not play for the Isotopes. The 25-year-old infielder has played for two different teams in the young season. He posted a two-homer

Kevin Padlo has hit six home runs this season, three of them on Sunday. All six of them have been at Isotopes Park in Albuquerque. But Padlo does not play for the Isotopes.

The 25-year-old infielder has played for two different teams in the young season. He posted a two-homer game with Triple-A Tacoma on April 14, then was traded to San Francisco. On Sunday, he swatted three dingers for Triple-A Sacramento in a 16-8 loss to Albuquerque.

The 25-year-old recorded the top two exit velocities and the top two distances of the game, with two of his three dingers traveling more than 430 feet and the ball twice flying off his bat at 109.3 mph.

Batting out of the cleanup spot, Padlo got things started quickly with a 432-foot two-run jack to center field in the top of the first inning that went 104.2 mph off the bat. In his next at-bat, he smoked a curveball 109.3 mph and reached base on third baseman Taylor Snyder's throwing error.

Facing Isotopes starter Matt Dennis for the third time in the fifth, Padlo fell behind in the count 1-2 before unloading on a slider by the right-hander. His second two-run homer was a no-doubter: the ball traveled 445 feet and was crushed 109.3 mph off the bat.

But Padlo was not done yet. In the very next frame against lefty Reagan Todd, the third baseman stepped into the box with a runner on first and swung at a first-pitch fastball inside. The ball was lined 100 mph and bounced off the foul pole in left to give Padlo his third homer of the game and his sixth RBI, tying the career-best mark he set in 2015.

Padlo was dealt from the Mariners to the Giants for cash on April 26 and has hit four long balls with his new organization. He clubbed a homer in his second appearance for Sacramento on April 29. He’s hitting .412/.500/1.118 with nine RBIs, seven hits and a stolen base through four games.

Stephanie Sheehan is an contributor for MiLB.com.