SAN DIEGO -- Manuel Margot waited 22 years to hit his first Major League home run. He waited about 45 minutes for the next one.
Margot, the Padres' top prospect, according to MLBPipeline.com, made sure his first home opener at Petco Park didn't go to waste. He led off the bottom of the first inning of the Padres' 7-6 win over the Giants on Friday with a shot off right-hander Player Page for Matt Cain. Two innings later, he went deep again and became the first rookie in Padres history to homer twice in the home opener.
"These are things you think about, but you never think are going to happen," Margot said through a team interpreter. "So I really feel great."
Margot finished 2-for-4 with a walk, and in doing so he became the fourth-youngest Padre with two home runs in the same game. Cesar Crespo, who went deep twice on Sept. 24, 2001, holds the distinction as the youngest.
Asked where Friday's game ranks among his all-time favorites, Margot was quick with a response.
"Opening day like this, with the number of fans in the stands, I feel like they were all able to really enjoy this," Margot said. "So definitely No. 1."
Margot's first home run marked the only leadoff dinger in a home opener at Petco Park since the stadium opened in 2004. The last leadoff homer on Opening Day in San Diego occurred in '03, when the Giants' Ray Durham went deep at Qualcomm Stadium.
Of course, it isn't power that catapulted Margot to the top of the Padres' prospects rankings. Mostly known for his speed, defense and line-drive capabilities, Margot went deep just six times at Triple-A last year.
"I don't see [power] as a huge part of his game," said Padres manager Andy Green. "I still think he can put up 10-15 in a given season. I wouldn't sell him short. It's going to be speed, slashing the ball around the yard, defense. But on a day like this, where he gets into two, gets us ahead, it's really fun to see."
After one game at Petco Park, Margot is already a third of the way to equaling his El Paso home run total at the Major League level. He's still the Padres' top prospect. But at this rate, he won't remain a prospect for long.