San Diego Padres at Miami Marlins

It’s hard to tell the magnitude of Luis Rengifo’s latest heroics -- a pinch-hit two-run home run that proved decisive in the Padres’ 4-2 victory over the Marlins on Friday at loanDepot park. That’ll come with time. But in the moment, it sure felt like the type of swing that helped keep the Padres’ fading Wild Card hopes alive -- along with any visions they have of buying at the Aug. 3 Trade Deadline. The Padres remain four games behind the Diamondbacks in the race for the final Wild Card spot \-\- though they gained ground on the four other teams ahead of them in that race, including head-to-head against the Marlins. Here are some takeaways from a victory that could prove pivotal: **Rengifo does it again** Samad Taylor is out with a strained oblique. Miguel Andujar is out with a fractured wrist. Someone on the Padres’ bench needed to step up. Enter Rengifo. Released by the Brewers in late June, Rengifo signed with the Padres shortly thereafter. He was called up just before the All-Star break and has wasted no time making an impact. Friday brought Rengifo’s most important swing yet. With the game tied in the eighth, manager Craig Stammen called for Rengifo to bat for Luis Campusano. He got a hanging sweeper and pulverized it into the right-field seats for his second home run in three days. “I’m grateful to God for this opportunity with these guys,” Rengifo said. “Just keep going.” Since joining the Padres, Rengifo is hitting .435 with a 1.176 OPS. A switch-hitter and a versatile defender, he’s been everything they needed -- and then some. “Just some big hits in big moments,” said Stammen. “He got us going. It’s what we need right now.”