SAN DIEGO — In a thrilling game at Petco Park, the San Diego Padres secured their 10th consecutive victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates with a 3-2 win on Friday night. The tension reached a peak when Robert Suarez, the Padres’ closer, was called upon with the bases loaded in the eighth inning. Suarez executed a crucial strikeout against Henry Davis, who surprisingly received a called third strike on a pitch appearing to be out of the strike zone. Davis expressed his disbelief by tossing his bat, removing his wrist guard, and throwing his helmet in frustration.
The incident resulted in the ejection of Pirates manager Don Kelly by the home plate umpire Edwin Jimenez. Despite the controversial call, Suarez held his composure and completed his league-leading 18th save by striking out three batters, preserving the narrow lead for San Diego.
Starting pitcher Nick Pivetta, on his sixth win of the season, showcased his skills by limiting the Pirates to two runs and six hits over a seven-inning span. His performance included eight strikeouts and no walks, breaking his streak of starts without a victory. Pivetta cruised through five scoreless innings before encountering turbulence in the sixth when the Pirates scored two runs. Hits from Tommy Pham, Isiah Kiner-Falefa, Bryan Reynolds, and Spencer Horwitz fueled the Pirates’ brief offensive surge.
Undeterred, the Padres regained control in the bottom of the sixth inning. After Fernando Tatis Jr. earned a leadoff walk, he made a dash around the bases to score on a double from Luis Arraez. Manny Machado’s subsequent flyout allowed Arraez to advance, setting the stage for Jackson Merrill’s grounder that enabled Arraez to beat the throw home with a headfirst slide. San Diego had initially taken the lead in the fourth inning when Machado doubled and was brought home by Merrill’s single, which glanced off Isiah Kiner-Falefa’s glove.
Pirates’ starting pitcher Mitch Keller sustained his struggles, recording his seventh loss by yielding three runs on three hits across six innings. The loss, however, didn’t come without some notable moments for his team.
With this victory, the Padres equalled their second-longest winning streak against a single opponent in team history, a feat they’ve accomplished four times. Looking forward, the series continues as Pirates’ left-hander Bailey Falter is set to face Padres’ right-hander Dylan Cease on Saturday night. Both teams will undoubtedly aim to improve their standings with a strong performance in the upcoming contest.