Iglesias walks it off after Vasquez shines in series-clinching win over Royals

Petco Park –

The San Diego Padres (42-35) and Kansas City Royals (38-40) face off in Sunday’s rubber match at Petco Park, with the series tied 1–1 after San Diego’s bounce-back win in game two.

The Padres turn to Randy Vásquez (3–4, 3.70 ERA), who has shown significant improvement, particularly against left-handed hitters (over his last three starts, he has held lefties to a .167 average, .635 OPS). Vásquez has quietly delivered a solid stretch over his previous three starts, posting a 2.51 ERA across 14.1 innings. In that span, he’s allowed just eight hits and four earned runs, while walking five and hitting three batters.

Though his strikeout total is low (8 Ks) and he’s surrendered three home runs, Vásquez has managed to limit overall damage thanks to a remarkably low .128 BABIP and a perfect 100% strand rate. His command has improved, and despite some regression signs in his underlying metrics (6.34 FIP, 5.87 xFIP), he’s kept the Padres in every game he’s started — a crucial contribution from the back end of the rotation. Kansas City sends former Padre Seth Lugo to the mound in his return to San Diego. Lugo enters on a roll, boasting a 1.62 ERA and 0.96 WHIP over his last 16.2 innings.

The Padres’ lineup gets a lift with the return of Jackson Merrill, back after a 7-day IL stint due to a concussion. Xander Bogaerts comes in red-hot, with 10 hits in his last 13 at-bats, including a homer, a double, and four runs scored. Fernando Tatis Jr. also broke out of a deep slump Saturday, launching his 14th home run of the season, ending a career-long 101 at-bat homerless streak. Gavin Sheets enters today’s game riding a 12-game hitting streak, slashing .333/.385/.489 with a 144 wRC+ over that span. Manny Machado is 2nd in all of MLB with 21 RBI for the month of June.

Vásquez’s day unraveled briefly in the 6th after five scoreless innings. Facing the heart of Kansas City’s lineup for the third time, he got Maikel Garcia to pop out, then gave up a leadoff single to Vinnie Pasquantino, before surrendering a two-run homer to Salvador Perez on a middle-in cutter, the fourth home run he’d allowed in his last four starts.

114.1 mph!

That’s Salvador Perez’s second-hardest hit homer under Statcast (2015), behind only:

114.2 mph on 5/4/21 https://t.co/P2VeVB1gsf

— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) June 22, 2025

While Vásquez rebounded by retiring the next two hitters, including a pair of soft changeup-induced outs from Drew Waters and Jac Caglianone,  the damage had been done. Waters grounded out to first on a well-placed 83 mph changeup, and Caglianone popped out on another off-speed pitch, showing Vásquez still had feel late in his outing. However, the two-run swing underscored a trend: opponents are finding more success the third time through, especially when he’s overexposed to his sinker-cutter mix.

Vasquez came out to pitch the 7th and retired the Royals in order on 11 pitches. This completed the longest start of his career. He finished with a pitching line of 7 innings pitched, five hits, 2 runs, 2 earned, two walks, two strikeouts, and one home run allowed on 89 pitches (63 strikes), lowering his ERA to 3.60.

San Diego finally broke through in the bottom of the 7th, tying the game 2–2 after six quiet innings against Royals starter Lugo. Merrill led off with a double to right, extending his hit streak and energizing the offense. Machado and Luis Arraez (hitting 4th for the first time this season) were both unable to advance the runner. With two outs, Sheets drew a walk, followed by Bogaerts, who also walked to load the bases. With bases loaded, José Iglesias pinch-hit for Jake Cronenworth and came through with a clutch two-run single to right, scoring Merrill and Sheets to tie the game.

Jose Iglesias ties it up in the seventh for San Diego! pic.twitter.com/NigcLXQRgp

— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) June 22, 2025

Robert Suarez, who hasn’t been his sharpest of late, came into pitch the ninth inning. After getting two outs and with one on a full count, Suarez walked Waters on a low 100mph fastball. Fermin followed with a hard liner to the gap in right center. Merrill rifled the throw into Iglesias, and they got Waters out at home trying to score from 1st.

In the bottom of the ninth inning, the Padres threatened again. Luis Arraez reached on a one-out single and advanced to third when Gavin Sheets lined a double to right, putting the winning run 90 feet away. Facing Royals reliever John Schreiber, José Iglesias hit a soft grounder to shortstop. Bobby Witt Jr. charged and fired home, but Arraez slid in safely ahead of the tag. Iglesias, who tied the game earlier, played the hero again with a walk-off RBI, giving San Diego a dramatic 3–2 win and the series victory.

OMG

Jose Iglesias ties it in the 7th and then walks it off in the 9th! pic.twitter.com/Li2WFvgPti

— MLB (@MLB) June 22, 2025

Speaking about the great relay throw to the plate to keep the game tied, “Yeah, that was huge. That was huge. It gave us a chance to win the game,” Iglesias told Padres play-by-play man Don Orsillo right before Merrill and Wade gave him an impromptu ice water bath.

Up next for the Padres:

The Padres now turn their attention to a three-game series against the Washington Nationals (32–46), beginning Monday night at Petco. San Diego will send Stephen Kolek (3–2, 3.59 ERA) to the hill, facing off against lefty Mitchell Parker (4–8, 4.59 ERA) for Washington.

At 41–35, the Padres remain in the thick of both the NL West and Wild Card races, just five games behind the division-leading Dodgers.

J.J. Rodriguez

J.J. Rodriguez is a passionate sports writer making his debut with East Village Times. Born and raised in Southwest Florida, he is a father of four and an eight-year U.S. Marine Corps veteran who has lived in Southern California since 1996. A devoted fan of the San Diego Padres, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Florida Gators, J.J. brings a lifetime of sports enthusiasm to his writing. He’s currently pursuing a degree in elementary education and enjoys life as an empty-nester with his wife of 19 years, Lisa.