Padres’ three – Ramón Laureano’s go-ahead homer in the seventh inning powered San Diego to a 7-3 series-opening win over the Athletics, with Manny Machado and Nick Castellanos also delivering long balls.
SAN DIEGO — The ballpark had barely settled into the second half when the Padres turned a fragile lead into something firm.
Through seven innings, San Diego had recorded only three hits, yet it was up 4-3 thanks to three home runs. Manny Machado tied things with a two-run homer after the Athletics grabbed an early lead. Nick Castellanos answered when Oakland took another advantage. Then Ramón Laureano provided the punctuation that flipped the game for good. launching a titanic solo shot beyond the left-field seats into the standing-room area in the seventh.
“Clutch hits and homers — that’ll do it,” Laureano said.
Manny Machado, Nick Castellanos and Laureano combined power the way the Padres have been waiting to see all season. Manager Craig Stammen pointed straight to it after the game, emphasizing what those swings can do even when the rest of the offense is struggling.
“Even when these guys are struggling, they just have the ability with one swing to do some damage,” Stammen said. “That’s the beauty of having those guys in our lineup. … They have the ability for one big swing to matter immensely.”
Last season, the Padres finished ranked 28th in home runs. They vowed that would change, and on Friday night they were doing the one thing that moves the scoreboard quickly. Fernando Tatis Jr. did not homer, but the Padres are now tied with the Pirates for 17th overall in homers with 52.
With a few more dingers from their big bats, it’s not outlandish to think San Diego could climb toward the top 10.
Rodolfo Durán’s impact didn’t show up only in the numbers — it showed up in timing. The suddenly trusted catcher helped Walker Buehler navigate traffic. threw out Henry Bolte trying to steal in the fourth inning. and has now nabbed 42% of would-be base stealers. At the plate. Durán reached base in all three of his plate appearances. including a leadoff single that started a key eighth-inning rally.
“I just have confidence in all the work I put in before the game,” Durán said. “Everything, it’s showing up in the games.”
Durán’s rise has been a long one. He spent over a decade toiling in the Minors, with the last few years coming in the Padres’ system. When Luis Campusano went down with a fractured toe, Durán got his call. After Friday night. the question hanging over the position doesn’t feel like an argument anymore — it feels like an opening. There’s a case to be made that. even when Campusano is healthy. Durán is earning a chance to stick.
That trust mattered most late. Mason Miller had to wait another day (at least) to face his former team.
With the Padres leading by a run in the bottom of the eighth, Miller began getting loose. Then Durán’s single sparked a three-run rally, and Stammen chose to use Jeremiah Estrada to cover the ninth instead.
“That’s huge,” Stammen said. “We’ve talked a lot over the season about [Miller’s] workload and trying to limit that. not wear him out in April and May. For our offense to put up enough runs … and then to have a guy like Jeremiah Estrada sitting down there in the bullpen. able to throw him in [with] a four-run lead. and he just goes 1-2-3. it makes it really easy to help Mason stay a little fresher for us.”.
The Padres’ bullpen delivered across multiple innings. Adrian Morejon picked up Bradgley Rodriguez by leaving the bases loaded in the sixth, then worked a 1-2-3 seventh. Jason Adam pitched a scoreless eighth, and Estrada made quick work of the A’s in the ninth.
Even with Miller getting the night off, San Diego’s back end looked like a group built to close the door.
There was also a separate kind of momentum working its way through the lineup: Castellanos finding a groove.
Down by a run in the bottom of the fifth, Castellanos launched a majestic blast off the third level of the Western Metal Building, keeping the ball just fair. It was his third homer in the past nine games after he’d hit just one in his first 24.
“He’s definitely a creature of habit,” Stammen said. “And when he does get to play more, he’s probably going to swing a little bit better.”
With regular work back in his hands, Castellanos has established a rhythm. The Padres envisioned him as a power threat when they signed him in Spring Training, and his swing on Friday night did plenty to move that vision forward.
Padres Athletics series opener Petco Park Manny Machado Nick Castellanos Ramón Laureano Rodolfo Durán Mason Miller Jeremiah Estrada Walker Buehler
3 homers and suddenly it’s fixed lol
So Oakland was up 4-3 at one point?? And then Padres just started swinging for the fences. Machado and Castellanos doing all the work again while Tatis sits there with nothing. Typical.
I feel like they said they only had three hits through seven and still won 7-3… that’s kinda insane. But also is that because the A’s pitching was bad or because the park is juiced or whatever? I’m just surprised it was basically homers only.
Padres fans keep talking about homers but last season they were 28th? so they finally got lucky one night and now it’s “clutch”?? Also I saw something about Tatis not homering, but like… isn’t he injured or something? anyway hope they can keep it up because I don’t trust sports hype.