Padres lose 6-5 to Giants (6/4/25) despite Gavin Sheets' 4 RBIs. Chapman, Ramos & Lee lead SF rally. Crucial Cease Day looms in series finale.
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
Man, that one stung. The San Diego Padres battled hard against the San Francisco Giants Wednesday night, ultimately falling 6-5 in a see-saw affair that had us all on the edge of our seats. Despite a monster night from Gavin Sheets, a late Giants surge and a ninth-inning rally that just fell short left Friar Faithful feeling the familiar pang of a close loss in the Bay.
Gavin Sheets was a man possessed, driving in four of our five runs, but even his heroics couldn't quite get us over the line against a resilient Giants squad.
It was a classic back-and-forth contest. Gavin Sheets came out swinging, lacing a two-run triple in the first inning to give the Padres an early advantage. He wasn't done there, adding a two-run single in the fifth to account for four of the team's five runs. Nick Pivetta battled on the mound, striking out five over six innings. However, he allowed five runs on six hits, including a costly two-run homer to Matt Chapman in the sixth. The Giants clawed back, with Heliot Ramos delivering a tying two-run double in the seventh, followed by Jung Hoo Lee's sacrifice fly that ultimately proved to be the game-winner. This loss came after two gritty 10-inning victories for the Padres to start the series, making this one a tough pill to swallow.
Just when it looked like the game might be out of reach, the Padres mounted a threatening rally in the top of the ninth. Fernando Tatis Jr. got things started with a leadoff single against Ryan Walker. Luis Arráez then hit a deep fly ball that Giants right fielder Daniel Johnson made a great play on, potentially saving an extra-base hit. Manny Machado followed with another single, putting the tying run on base and bringing the go-ahead run to the plate. Unfortunately, the Giants turned to Randy Rodríguez, who managed to induce the final two outs, snuffing out the rally and earning his first career save. So close!
The Padres have an immediate chance to bounce back and take the series as right-hander Dylan Cease (1-4, 4.66 ERA) is slated to start the crucial finale on Thursday. He'll be facing a tough opponent in Giants left-hander Robbie Ray, who boasts an impressive 7-1 record and a 2.43 ERA. This matchup is pivotal; a win would secure a valuable series victory on the road against a division rival. Cease will be looking to find his groove and give the Padres a quality start to silence the San Francisco bats.
This series in San Francisco is part of a grueling stretch for the Padres, who are in the midst of 26 games in 27 days. This particular 2.5-week window is especially daunting, featuring 14 games against key division rivals (like the Giants and Dodgers) plus three against the strong Milwaukee Brewers. To make matters tougher, only three of those 17 games are at the friendly confines of Petco Park. Despite Wednesday's loss, the Padres still hold a solid 34-24 record, keeping them in second place in the NL West. Playoff odds calculations currently give the Friars a 62.5% chance to make the postseason and a 2.4% chance to win the World Series. Navigating this road-heavy, rival-filled schedule successfully will be key to maintaining that strong position.
Last night was a heartbreaker, no doubt, but the beauty of baseball is there's always tomorrow. With Dylan Cease toeing the rubber for the series finale, the Padres have a prime chance to bounce back and secure a crucial road series win against the Giants. This demanding stretch of games is a true test, but this team has shown its fight. Let's bring that energy Thursday and get this W!
