HOUSTON — Isaac Paredes delivered a clutch, tiebreaking RBI single in the seventh inning, propelling the Houston Astros to a narrow 3-2 victory over the San Diego Padres on Saturday night. This decisive hit came after Christian Walker’s pivotal two-run home run in the sixth inning brought the game to a tie. Houston’s late-game heroics ensured they triumphed in a hard-fought battle.
Paredes managed a blooper single into short center field, connecting on a pitch from San Diego’s Jeremiah Estrada, who entered the game having allowed just two hits over 10 1/3 innings. This single from Paredes broke the deadlock and proved to be the game-winning run.
Christian Walker, moved out of the cleanup spot due to early-season struggles hitting .159 through the first 19 games, showcased his power with a dramatic homer on a 1-0 sweeper from Michael King. This marked Walker’s second home run of the season and was crucial in leveling the score for Houston.
In the latter innings, Bryan Abreu provided a scoreless eighth to set the stage for closer Josh Hader. Hader, pitching on a night where his bobblehead was a giveaway item for fans, confidently sealed the win with a scoreless ninth. A key moment in the inning was when former Padres teammate Yuli Gurriel flied out to conclude the game. Tayler Scott, effective in relief, pitched two innings and secured the win, improving his record to 1-1.
For the Padres, Fernando Tatis Jr. earned his seventh homer of the season in the third inning, while Manny Machado contributed to an early Padres lead with a well-timed RBI double in the fifth following Tatis’ single and a stolen base. Despite their efforts, San Diego fell to their second consecutive loss of the season.
An exciting development also came for outfielder Tirso Ornelas, who made his major league debut. Signed with the Padres since 2016, Ornelas arrived from Triple-A El Paso, where he had been hitting .281. His journey to Houston was fraught with challenges, including two canceled flights that delayed his arrival. Making his debut as a pinch hitter in the seventh inning, Ornelas flied out.
Key Stat: Houston managed consecutive wins for the first time this season, building momentum after Friday’s 6-4 win over the Padres.
Looking ahead, Houston will send LHP Framber Valdez (1-2, 4.50 ERA) to the mound to face San Diego’s RHP Dylan Cease (1-1, 6.64 ERA) in Sunday’s series finale. The matchup promises an exciting end to the series as both teams look to claim victory.