Petco Park- San Diego

The Padres returned to Petco Park for the first time in fifteen days, following the All-Star break.  An eager crowd awaiting their return was treated to one of the most exciting games all season. After Fernando Tatis Jr. robbed a home run from him, Mark Vientos clocked a grand slam in the ensuing inning. However, the Padres were able to mount an improbable rally and cap it off with a walk-off single to complete the comeback.

Dylan Cease took the mound for San Diego in what could be his final start with the club. His last appearance came in Miami, where he took the loss after allowing two runs over five innings. His overall ERA sits at 4.59, although he’s been better at home with a 3.48 ERA at Petco Park.

For the Mets, Frankie Montas toed the rubber for just the sixth time all season. He recovered from a lat strain that occurred all the way back during Spring Training. He struggled in his pair of road starts, allowing seven runs in nine total innings.

In the first inning, Cease flashed his elite-when-located arsenal in a major way. He punched out Brandon Nimmo, 2025 All-Star Francisco Lindor, and Juan Soto— who needs no introduction— on 15 pitches. However, the second inning was a completely different story. Cease issued two walks, a hit, and a sacrifice fly that plated the game’s first run, on the Mets’ side of the scorecard.

Wasting no time, Luis Arraez extended his hit streak to eleven games with a first-inning single. However, in what looked like a golden opportunity for an ambush, Manny Machado unfortunately scorched into a double play. Machado had an excellent series in St. Louis and hit this ball hard as well.

Speaking of hard-hit balls, Jackson Merrill picked up where Machado left off. He lined a 109.4 MPH single to lead off the second inning. He began by seeing Jake Cronenworth walk, and Bryce Johnson single on a slow roller to shortstop. However, nine-hole hitter Elias Diaz couldn’t pass the baton and struck out with two outs and the bases loaded.

The top of the third inning was one of the longest scoreless innings you’ll ever see. First, Francisco Lindor grounded a comebacker that struck Cease on the back of the head. A lengthy delay frightened viewers, but eventually, it came to an end as Cease remained on the hill. The next batter, Juan Soto, drew a 3-2 count with some borderline strikes mixed in. On the next pitch, Cease placed a curveball perfectly on the outside half for a called strike three. Soto shared his frustrations with home plate umpire Emil Jimenez, and washed pulled away by teammates. However, Mets manager Carlos Mendoza had seen enough. He brought his frustrations up to the face of Jimenez and was quickly ejected.

The Padres answered back in the second inning with a gritty two-out rally. A pitch hit Manny Machado, and after a quick injury scare, stole second in a surprise move. Jackson Merrill walked, and the red-hot Xander Bogaerts fought off a fastball to center field. Machado and Merrill were both in motion, allowing Machado to score easily. However, Merrill stopped at third, as Machado signaled him home, but third base coach Tim Leiper signaled otherwise.

Cease faced more danger in the fourth inning, after walking the leadoff hitter, Jeff McNeil. Suddenly, Mark Vientos sent a ball high and deep towards right field. A go-ahead home run looked imminent until Fernando Tatis Jr. leaped and somehow made the catch to rob the home run. He dropped the ball on the transfer, but held on long enough to secure a game-altering grab.

NOT ON NANDO’S WATCH!! pic.twitter.com/bNxhqwp2I9

— San Diego Padres (@Padres) July 29, 2025

Once again, Cease found himself in a couple of make-or-break scenarios in the fifth inning. Facing Pete Alonso with runners on second and third, a high slider got him to swing and miss for the strikeout. However, the next battle would not go his way. With Jeff McNeil being issued an intentional walk, Vientos stepped up with a chance to redeem himself. This time, Vientos took fate out of Tatis Jr’s hands, launching it well over the right field wall. The grand slam put the Mets up 5-1 and silenced a lively Petco Park crowd.

“Tatis won’t bring this one back! A grand slam for Mark Vientos!”

? #MLBNShowcase presented by @goodyear https://t.co/hFxQ6T6Uhx pic.twitter.com/xktNcyOgIu

— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) July 29, 2025

However, the silence didn’t last long at all. San Diego flipped the switch faster than you could go grab a Friar Frank. Leading off, Tatis Jr. quickly singled and advanced to second on a ball that ricocheted off of Jeff McNeil and rolled into right. On the next pitch, Arraez launched a skyscraping shot down the line in right. On the way down, it doinked off the yellow foul pole for a momentum-shifting two-run homer. Before anyone in the stadium could sit down, Manny Machado laced a single at 101.7 MPH through the 5.5 hole to left. Jackson Merrill popped out in foul territory, but gave way to the hottest hitter in the Padres’ lineup. Sure enough, Bogaerts rocketed a double down the line at 111 MPH to give San Diego a chance to cash in again.

Luis Arraez answers quickly with a two-run homer to make it a 5-3 game!

? #MLBNShowcase presented by @goodyear pic.twitter.com/4uk2v8ROrE

— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) July 29, 2025

Gavin Sheets was unable to score the runner from third, popping out after a long at-bat. The ambush of a rally fell into the hands of the seven hitter, Jake Cronenworth. With relief arm Huascar Brazobán entered into the game, Cronenworth hit a grounder hard down the line. Brazobán hesitated, and with the first baseman Alonso on the ground, Cronenworth beat it out, scoring the Padres’ fourth run. Bryce Johnson came up next and got just enough of an offspeed pitch to send it into right field to tie the game. It was the Padres’ fourth run of the frame and brought the Padres back even with the Mets. When all things turned upside down, came in the following at-bat. Elias Diaz ambushed a 100 MPH sinker on his hands and fought it into the outfield, giving the Padres the lead.

With Cease departing early once again, Adrian Morejon entered the fray after the big inning. It took him just eleven pitches— and a five-star sliding grab from Tatis Jr.— to shut down the Mets in the sixth. The All-Star southpaw was right back at it in the seventh, striking out Francisco Lindor and Juan Soto looking. Jeremiah Estrada popped up Pete Alonso on one pitch, and the Mets’ “Big 3” went down quietly on seven pitches.

Jason Adam came on to handle the eighth inning and retired the Mets in order with a strikeout. This would prove valuable, as Robert Suarez could potentially avoid facing Lindor, Soto, and Alonso in the ninth inning.

Unfortunately, Suarez couldn’t capitalize on this. New York’s nine-hole hitter, Ronny Mauricio, barreled an outside fastball and pulled it for a game-tying home run. Lindor struck out to Suarez to end the inning, but Mauricio tied the game at six a side.

In the bottom of the ninth, the Mets’ recent trade acquisition Gregory Soto took the task of shutting down the Padres. The hard-throwing, left-handed sinkerballer proved a great matchup for Xander Bogaerts. Consequently, he led off the inning with a single over the second baseman, McNeil. Jose Iglesias stepped in to pinch hit for Gavin Sheets and effectively laid down a bunt to the pitcher. Soto’s throw to second was wide, and pulled Lindor off the base, allowing Bogaerts to jog in safely.

However, things took a quick turn as Jake Cronenworth’s bunt attempt turned into an out at third base. Nobody moved up a base, and Bryce Johnson came to bat. Johnson took some close pitches, but was ultimately called out on strikes on a well-located slider. Elias Diaz— who gave the Padres the lead back in the fifth— came to bat with two outs and runners on first and second. Diaz went down 1-2, fouled off a slider, and got the pitch he was looking for. A middle-middle sinker at 97 MPH, and he shot it into the outfield. Jose Iglesias raced around third to score, and the Padres pulled off an improbable, momentum-filled victory.

Elias Díaz drives in Jose Iglesias and the @Padres take tonight’s #MLBNShowcase!@Padres | @goodyear | #ForTheFaithful pic.twitter.com/8FmOOheNxz

— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) July 29, 2025

After the thrilling contest,  Mike Shildt has nothing but praise for the fight in his locker room. “It really comes down to heart, desire, a real willingness to win”, he said, “This group has it. It’s on display almost every night.” Later, he added that “they don’t give in.. that’s what real competitors do.”

Acknowledging the eager crowd, Shildt stated, “This ballpark was electric tonight. The support that we get clearly helps us a little bit too, no doubt.”

The amped-up Padres will be right back at it tomorrow night, with Yu Darvish seeking a bounce-back outing. For manager Carlos Mendoza and the Mets, old friend Sean Manaea will make the start. First pitch is set for 6:40 PM.

Willy Warren

A 17-year-old San Diego native, Willy Warren is a baseball fan at heart who created High Leverage Baseball, a public baseball media account covering around-the-league statistical analysis and breakdowns on X. Willy is set to attend the Cronkite School of Journalism in the fall of 2026 at Arizona State University, where he’ll pursue a major in sports journalism.