May 28, 2025; San Diego, California, USA; A trainer comes onto the field after Miami Marlins third baseman Connor Norby (1) was hit with a pitch during the eighth inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images
San Diego, California – A rollercoaster afternoon at Petco Park ended in heartbreak for the Padres, as the Miami Marlins surged late to steal a 10-8 victory in Wednesday’s series finale.
San Diego looked poised for a sweep after jumping out to a 6-1 lead, but a late defensive miscue and a clutch Marlins rally flipped the script. The Padres’ bullpen faltered just one day after a thrilling comeback win of their own — a reminder that in baseball, momentum is often only as good as the next inning.
The decisive blow came in the eighth, after Manny Machado mishandled a Nick Fortes grounder that could have set the tone for the frame. Instead, the Marlins pounced. With two outs and the bases loaded, Miami catcher Agustín Ramírez delivered a go-ahead, two-run single to center — his fourth hit of the game — before Eric Wagaman added insurance with an RBI double.
It spoiled what could have been a triumphant afternoon for Gavin Sheets, who continued his power surge with a seventh-inning blast to right field that briefly gave the Padres an 8-7 lead. Sheets, who admired the shot as he backpedaled out of the batter’s box, has now homered in four of the Padres’ last seven games and leads the team with 11 on the year.
Earlier, the Padres looked in full control. After Sheets drove in the game’s first run in the second inning, the offense exploded for five in the fourth. Jake Cronenworth’s two-run double, followed by RBI hits from Elias Díaz, Luis Arraez, and Machado, had the Friar Faithful roaring and Miami reeling.
But starter Kyle Hart, making a spot start after being recalled, couldn’t hold the lead. The lefty gave up five runs on six hits in 4.2 innings — including a solo homer to Jesús Sánchez and a three-run blast by Otto López that erased the Padres’ advantage entirely.
The Padres briefly recaptured the lead thanks to Sheets’ homer, but Jason Adam (5-1) couldn’t hold it. Adam took the loss, surrendering the eighth-inning rally and hitting Connor Norby in the helmet with an 87 mph changeup. Thankfully, Norby remained in the game.
Ramírez finished 4-for-5 with four RBIs and two runs scored, marking the first four-hit game of his career. Miami collected 16 hits in total, including three apiece from Wagaman and López.
San Diego now turns its attention to the weekend, hoping to rebound after a gut-punch loss that underscores the volatility of a long season — and the urgency of finding consistency, especially from the bullpen.
