Padres vs Giants Recap: Late Homer Lifts SF to 3-2 Win

The San Diego Padres traveled to face the San Francisco Giants on Tuesday, May 5th in a pitching-focused battle. San Diego came in riding momentum after outlasting the White Sox at home, while the Giants were searching for answers following a tough loss to the Rays. Randy Vásquez took the mound for the Padres, hoping to build on the team's solid pitching foundation. Meanwhile, Trevor McDonald started for San Francisco. Both teams understood that strong pitching would be crucial in this competitive division clash. The Giants ultimately prevailed 3-2 in a nail-biter, though the Padres refused to go down without a fight. This game showcased why pitching matters so much in baseball—one swing or one mistake can change everything.

The first inning exploded with excitement as both teams showed their power. For San Diego, Merrill stepped up to the plate and crushed a changeup 436 feet to center field with tremendous force. His 105 mph exit velocity sent the ball soaring high, giving the Padres an early 1-0 lead. However, the Giants answered immediately in the bottom of the inning. Schmitt connected on a 4-seam fastball and blasted a 396-foot home run to left field, tying the game 1-1. Then Devers followed with a sharp single to center, scoring Arraez and giving San Francisco a 2-1 advantage after just one inning. These powerful swings set an intense tone for the entire game ahead.

After the explosive first inning, scoring slowed down for several frames as both pitching staffs settled in. The Giants added one more run in the sixth inning when Devers hit a sacrifice fly to right field, extending their lead to 3-1. For most of the game, it looked like San Francisco would cruise to victory with their pitching holding strong. But the Padres refused to quit. In the ninth inning, Laureano delivered a massive moment for San Diego, launching a 4-seam fastball 447 feet to center field with a 106 mph exit velocity. His towering home run cut the deficit to just one run, creating dramatic tension in the final moments. Though the Padres couldn't score again, their resilience made this a memorable game worth watching.