Sep 23, 2025; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres third baseman Jose Iglesias (7) celebrates with catcher Freddy Fermin (54) after hitting a home run during the eighth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: David Frerker-Imagn Images
San Diego, California – The Padres picked a good night to make a statement. With October right around the corner, San Diego looked every bit like a team ready to do damage in the postseason as they hammered the NL Central champion Milwaukee Brewers 7-0 on Tuesday at Petco Park.
Ryan O’Hearn set the tone almost immediately, punishing a bases-loaded mistake from lefty Bruce Zimmermann and sending it over the right-field wall for a grand slam in the first inning. It was O’Hearn’s second career slam and his 17th home run of the season, but more importantly, it gave the Padres all the cushion they’d need.
Luis Arraez followed up with a two-run shot that clanged off the right-field foul pole in the second, and José Iglesias capped things in the eighth with a solo homer. By the end of the night, San Diego had gone deep three times, flexing the kind of lineup depth and power that could carry them in October.
On the mound, Randy Vásquez turned in the best outing of his young Padres career. The right-hander gave up just one hit over seven brilliant innings, mixing precision with poise against a Milwaukee lineup that already has the division crown sewn up. Vásquez struck out five and walked two before handing it off to Wandy Peralta and Yuki Matsui, who closed out the combined four-hitter.
The win was San Diego’s fourth straight, and it came with significant playoff implications. Having already clinched a postseason berth on Monday night in walk-off fashion, the Padres are now within 1 ½ games of both the Cubs for the top National League wild card and the Dodgers for first place in the NL West. With the Dodgers slipping in Arizona, the door to an improbable division crown is at least cracked open.
For the Brewers, the loss dropped their record to 95-63 and assured there will be no 100-game winners this year. Their magic number to secure the league’s best record and home-field advantage remains two over the Phillies.
But for the Padres, this was about momentum. A potential playoff preview played out like a warning shot: San Diego’s lineup is hot, its rotation arms are sharp, and the team is embracing the stretch-run urgency. If the standings hold, a Padres-Cubs wild-card series looms, with the winner moving on to face Milwaukee.
