Aug 20, 2025; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres left fielder Gavin Sheets (30) is congratulated by Ramon Laureano (5) after hitting a three-run home run during the third inning against the San Francisco Giants at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images
San Diego, California – The San Diego Padres put together the kind of complete performance fans have been waiting to see, hammering the San Francisco Giants 8-1 Wednesday night at Petco Park and pulling within one game of the Dodgers in the NL West.
From the very first inning, the game had fireworks. Rafael Devers looked like he had given the Giants an early lead, sending a high fly ball to deep right. But Fernando Tatis Jr. wasn’t having it. He sprinted to the wall, timed his leap perfectly, and reached over to snatch the ball back from the stands. Tatis tumbled onto his back against the fence, popped up with a grin, and showed the crowd the ball. Padres starter JP Sears pointed and smiled, while Devers could only shake his head with a smile of his own.
That defensive gem set the tone. In the bottom half, Tatis doubled and scored on Ryan O’Hearn’s single.
The Padres have been light on long balls lately, but that changed in a big way. Gavin Sheets broke things open, launching a solo homer in the second and then following it up with a three-run shot in the third. He finished the night 2-for-4 with four RBIs, giving him a career-high 17 homers on the season.
Manny Machado added his 21st homer in the third inning, and O’Hearn blasted his 16th in the seventh. In total, San Diego hit four home runs, reminding everyone that this lineup can mash when it gets rolling.
Sears (8-10) was sharp, going six innings while allowing just one run on three hits. His only mistake came in the fourth, when San Diego native Casey Schmitt connected for his eighth homer of the year. Otherwise, Sears was in control, striking out five and keeping the Giants off balance.
The bullpen trio of relievers kept things clean, tossing three scoreless innings to close it out.
The night wasn’t all highlights. Giants starter Landen Roupp had to be carted off in the third inning after Ramón Laureano drilled a line drive that struck him on the thigh. Roupp slipped awkwardly on the mound and appeared to injure his left knee as he fell. He stayed down for several minutes clutching the knee before trainers helped him onto a cart.
With the win and a Dodgers loss in Colorado, the Padres sit just one game back of first in the NL West. The four-game series wraps up Thursday afternoon at Petco Park, with San Diego eyeing a chance to pull even in the standings.
After a night full of power, defense, and steady pitching, the Padres showed they’re ready to make their move.
