The Padres shut down the Rockies on Friday and improved to 8-6 with their third straight victory.

Walker Buehler took on the Rockies’ Tomoyuki Sugano in the Padres City Connect 2.0 uniform debut. Fans expecting an offensive explosion after last night’s electric ending may have been disappointed in the low-scoring affair, but the Padres were able to finish the job with the same walk-off magic. 

Nuestra alineación. pic.twitter.com/8YtZzG2XJr

— San Diego Padres (@Padres) April 10, 2026

A true pitcher’s duel through six.

Both starters were effective on Friday night, with a two-homerun inning given up by Sugano in the 5th being the difference. Both teams started their first inning with an infield single, but those would be half of the game’s total hits until the 5th. Beuhler had a masterful bounce-back game, giving up just three hits in six innings while striking out four. He also did not walk a batter for the first time since July 5 of last year. Jackson Merrill helped out a bit with an impressive diving catch in the third.

Some Merrill Madness for you. pic.twitter.com/od8LQkewD6

— San Diego Padres (@Padres) April 11, 2026

Sugano was doing much of the same, allowing just two hits until the 5th. Gavin Sheets was able to finally put a run on the board with a 416-foot solo shot to lead off the inning. Luis Campusano followed it up by taking a hanging breaking ball and sending it over the left field fence, giving the Padres a sudden 2-0 lead. 

Dawg. pic.twitter.com/Isu1DC5u7e

— San Diego Padres (@Padres) April 11, 2026

Padres bullpen inconsistent

Kyle Hart replaced Buehler in the 7th and quickly got into trouble by allowing a walk and a single. He was able to get out of it after getting a weak foul out and picking off Jordan Beck at second, holding the Padres’ lead at two. 

Adrian Morejon took the 8th, but gave up four singles, including three straight with two outs, that allowed the Rockies to tie the game at two. Morejon’s ERA now sits at a lackluster 10.80 on the year in 6 2/3 innings. Jason Adam came in to make his first appearance of the year and forced an Ezequiel Tover groundout to get out of the jam. 

Luis Campusano tried to get the offense going once again in the 8th by leading off with a walk. Campusano went 2/2 on the day with a home run, double, and a walk before getting pulled for pinch runner Bryce Johnson. The Padres were not able to capitalize on the leadoff baserunner and ended the inning with a strikeout and a caught stealing. 

With a tie game in the 9th, Mason Miller came in to keep the score where it was. It was his third appearance in just as many days, and his second straight in a tie game in the 9th. He once again worked a clean inning, striking out the side and making the Rockies hitters look clueless with 13 pitches. While it is just April 10, Miller’s unprecedented dominance may earn him some early-season Cy Young votes. That being said, he will likely be unavailable for tomorrow’s matchup. 

Gavin Sheets delivers again.

The Padres got the leadoff batter on base again with a Jackson Merrill single in the 9th. Manny Machado followed it with a great at-bat against the Rockies’ reliever,r Juan Mejia, which ended in a walk. The hero of Thursday night’s game, Xander Bogaerts, failed to match his magic from the night prior, but it did not matter. Gavin Sheets stepped up to the plate, turned on a 99 mph fastball, and sent it even further than his first of the night. Petco Park echoed with chants of “Ho-ly Sheets” as the Friars celebrated their third straight win in style. They are officially 1-0 in their newest San Diego City Connect uniforms. 

HOLY SHEETS ? pic.twitter.com/T5bGH2OsYw

— San Diego Padres (@Padres) April 11, 2026

German Marquez will look to keep the fun going on Saturday as he takes to the mound against Ryan Feltner and the Rockies for the third of four games. First pitch is scheduled for 5:40 PM PDT. 

Jacob Larose

Jacob grew up with Padres season tickets and walls plastered with Khalil Greene memorabilia. He has dedicated all of his young professional career towards becoming baseball’s next AJ Preller, having already worked with minor league and college teams in different roles. He is always scouring the Baseball Savant page to find the next little nugget that might help his hometown Padres (or his fantasy baseball team).