Padres Wild-Card Push
Padres Defeat Marlins 8-2 to Move Into Three-Way Wild-Card Tie
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Key Points
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Ty France joined San Diego on a minor league deal during spring training and played at San Diego State under Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn before beginning his second stint with the Padres.
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The Padres’ six-run fifth began with Xander Bogaerts’ double, Jake Cronenworth’s single and Samad Taylor’s bunt that loaded the bases; Fernando Tatis Jr. tied the game with an RBI single before Dustin Harris’ two-run single and France’s homer put San Diego ahead 6-1.
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Pivetta was making his third start since returning from a flexor injury that had sidelined him for four months, adding significance to his five-inning, one-run performance.
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Pirates manager Don Kelly said Pittsburgh still had the same daily objective despite its elimination: “We still have a lot to play for. Going out there every night, it’s still the same mindset of, ‘Win that game.’”
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In the earlier loss to Colorado, Padres home runs came from Fernando Tatis Jr., Austin Hays and Luis Campusano, while rookie Cole Carrigg’s second homer followed a 13-pitch at-bat against reliever Randy Vasquez and traveled 414 feet.
The San Diego Padres defeated the Miami Marlins 8-2 on Friday, winning their 11th game in 12 tries and moving into a three-way tie for the National League wild-card lead at 85-69. The Score reported that Ty France delivered a career-best 21st home run—a three-run blast—to cap a six-run fifth inning that turned a 1-0 deficit into a 6-1 lead. The victory pulls San Diego level with the Chicago Cubs and Philadelphia Phillies, though the Padres would lose tiebreakers to both teams and must finish ahead of them to earn the top wild-card spot and host the opening playoff series.
The win also eliminated the Pittsburgh Pirates from playoff contention for an 11th straight season. CBS Sports noted that Nick Pivetta, making his third start after a four-month flexor injury, allowed just one run over five innings to earn the victory.
A Six-Run Rally Breaks Open a Tight Contest
Miami struck first with a run in the third inning. But San Diego exploded in the fifth, starting when Xander Bogaerts doubled and Jake Cronenworth singled. After Samad Taylor bunted to load the bases, Fernando Tatis Jr. tied the game with an RBI single. The Olympian reported that Dustin Harris followed with a two-run single before France's three-run homer put the Padres ahead 6-1. Jackson Merrill added a two-run homer in the eighth to extend the lead.
Ty France's Redemption Continues with Spring Training Signing
France signed a minor league deal with San Diego during spring training after playing college ball at San Diego State under Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn. Now in his second stint with the Padres, the 30-year-old is delivering in clutch moments. His 21st home run ranks as his career best and capped one of the most productive offensive innings of San Diego's recent hot streak.
Pivetta's Strong Return From Four-Month Injury Absence
Pivetta's performance carried extra weight as his third start since returning from a flexor injury that sidelined him for four months. The right-hander threw five innings, allowed four hits and one run, and walked one while striking out four. His return to form bolsters San Diego's pitching depth as the Padres chase a wild-card berth with less than two weeks left in the regular season.
Pirates' Playoff Drought Extends to 11 Straight Years
Pittsburgh's loss on Friday night sealed its elimination from postseason contention. Pirates manager Don Kelly kept his team focused despite the blow, saying: "We still have a lot to play for. Going out there every night, it's still the same mindset of, 'Win that game.'" While the Pirates cannot reach the playoffs, they can still pursue their first winning record since 2018 by finishing above .500 in their remaining games.
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