Padres extend winning streak to 12 in 16 games with series victory over Astros
Randy Vásquez delivers five innings of two-hit baseball as the Padres take two of three from the AL West-leading Astros, remaining one game out of a National League playoff spot.
The San Diego Padres secured a decisive 7-2 victory over the Houston Astros on Sunday, completing a series win and reinforcing their position in the National League playoff race. The result marks the team’s 12th victory in their last 16 games, keeping them one game out of a postseason spot as they navigate the final stretch of the season.
Offensive production was anchored by a cluster of home runs that dismantled the Astros’ pitching staff. Fernando Tatis Jr. provided the critical momentum in the fourth inning, hitting a go-ahead three-run homer that travelled 421 feet to the third level of the Western Metal Supply Co. brick warehouse in left field. The blast, his 11th of the season, shifted the score to 4-2 and effectively sealed the contest.
The Padres’ lineup depth was further highlighted by the performances of recent acquisitions and emerging talents. Daulton Varsho, acquired from Toronto before the trade deadline, contributed a two-run homer in the second inning. Jackson Merrill added a solo shot to straightaway center field in the same inning, while Gavin Sheets launched a leadoff home run in the sixth.
Newcomer Austin Hays made an immediate impact in his debut, hitting a two-run shot in his first at-bat for the team during the eighth inning. Hays, who was signed earlier in the day, batted for Sheets and connected off reliever Bryan King, marking his second home run of the season.
On the mound, Randy Vásquez delivered a strong five-inning performance, allowing two runs on two hits with one strikeout and no walks. After giving up Varsho’s homer with two outs in the second, Vásquez retired his final 10 batters. He was supported by three relievers who combined on a two-hitter, improving Vásquez’s season record to 8-6.
Looking ahead, the Astros will send right-handed pitcher Hayden Wesneski to the mound for their series opener against the San Francisco Giants on Monday night. The Padres will look to maintain their momentum when right-hander Casey Mize makes his first home start since being acquired from Detroit, opposing Milwaukee’s Logan Henderson.
