Dylan Cease sparkles, Padres hit back-to-back-to-back homers to capture series vs. Astros

SAN DIEGO — There are mementos in the Hall of Fame from Dylan Cease’s no-hitter on July 25. The Padres presented him with a giant framed collage with a copy of the sports section and the scorecard from that day. The highlight video played before every game at Petco Park features the radio call from the end of the game.

But what Cease did Wednesday in a 4-0 victory over the Astros — with another team’s ace on the mound in the midst of a playoff race — was arguably his masterpiece.

It almost certainly would have been if not for a couple grounders that shortstop Xander Bogaerts could not handle in the ninth inning.

Cease allowed two hits in 8 1/3 innings, and Manny Machado, Fernando Tatis Jr. and Donovan Solano made sure Cease and the Padres came out on top.

The victory allowed the Padres to remain 2 1/2 games ahead of the Diamondbacks in the race for the National League’s top wild-card spot.

Only one of their home runs was necessary.

Machado’s leading off the sixth against Framber Valdez, who entered the game with the American League’s third-lowest ERA (2.91) and its seventh-lowest batting average allowed (.215) among qualifying starting pitchers, put the Padres up 1-0.

That was all they got off Valdez in his seven innings before Tatis, Machado and Solano belted three straight homers into the seats beyond left field against reliever Kaleb Ort to start the eighth.

Many in the sellout crowd at Petco Park gave Cease a standing ovation as he walked off the field after the top of the eighth. The fans were ecstatic after Solano’s blast. And they rose again as Cease took the mound to start the ninth and as he walked off following Bogaerts’ error on what seemed a would-be game-ending double play.

Mauricio Dubon reached base at the start of the ninth inning on an infield single that Bogaerts bobbled as he rushed to make a throw. Cease followed by striking out Jake Meyers before Jose Altuve hit the grounder that went off Bogaerts’ glove.

That brought manager Mike Shildt out to replace Cease with Tanner Scott, who retired the next two batters

Games in which a pitchers come within two outs of a complete game don’t have their own Wikipedia entry. But Cease absolutely neutered the Astros, the best-hitting team in the American League. They entered the game with a .261 average and with three of their first fur hitters batting .297 or better.

Cease did not allow a hit until Jason Heyward’s grounder through the right side leading off the sixth inning. He did not walk any batters.

The 28-year-old right-hander threw more than 11 pitches in just three innings and never threw more than 15.

He was at 85 pitches after eight innings, and no one was warming up as the Padres’ long half of the eighth unfolded.

It is standard when a pitcher goes deep into a game to give a nod to his having saved the bullpen.

This time, Cease’s effort merited more than a nod.

Especially on a day when the lead was so slim until the final inning, they needed a starting pitcher to go deep.

The Padres’ higher-leverage relievers have been working a lot. Two of them — Jason Adam and Robert Suarez, who had both pitched the previous three days — were not going to be used Wednesday.