Padres win the series against Blue Jays, 5-4
(AP Photo/Alex Gallardo)
Petco Park – San Diego
The San Diego Padres’ final game before the All-Star Break would prove to be the rubber match between themselves and the Toronto Blue Jays. A series win for the Padres against the Blue Jays could be a good sendoff for a crew that’s struggled lately.
This game follows a split series of high-slugging proportions between the two clubs.
Sunday morning’s game followed the same script. On his fifth pitch, German Marquez gave up a homer to Nathan Lukes, starting the Padres off trailing. Marquez minimized the damage. However, it certainly posed some issues for the team’s already spotty offense.
Kevin Gausman on the mound compounds this fact. The 35-year-old right-hander is very good at pounding the zone and getting guys out fast. For the first inning, anyway, it seemed things would go this way for the Friars.
However, the Padres would have a wild series of events occur in the second. Bases were loaded after a series of hits and a few rare walks issued by Gausman. With Sung-mun Song at the plate, home plate umpire Jen Pawol missed his appeal on a ball at the knees. Steven Souza Jr and Craig Stammen complained, and as a result, Souza was ejected.
HP umpire Jen Powal tosses #Padres hitting coach Steven Souza Jr.
You decide how you feel about it. pic.twitter.com/gchpeS4pOp
— J.Silvs (@JohnSilvaJr) July 12, 2026
Song would get the walk regardless, scoring a run for the Padres. Then, with Jackson Merrill up, more confusion ensued after Gausman failed to indicate whether he would pitch from the stretch or the side. This balk brought in another run, making the score 3-1.
Jen Pawol calls a balk on Kevin Gausman, and the #Padres add another run, now up 3-1 on the Blue Jays
Jon Schneider out to argue#forthefaithful pic.twitter.com/29xG7yBAkf
— Padres Highlights (@FriarHighlights) July 12, 2026
As stated previously, it was a very strange half-inning. Following this turn of events, the game would have progressed normally.
Another homer given up with Marquez would tie the game in the fourth. At this point, the only runs scored against the Padres in this game were homers. This would end Marquez’s night with the Padres dipping into the bullpen.
Gausman stayed in after tossing a few scoreless frames, leaving in the seventh.
The eighth inning would prove to be the deciding factor. After the Blue Jays took the lead, the Padres had to put together a series of at-bats to get the game back on their side again.
Thankfully, this is exactly what happened. A pair of singles from Xander Bogaerts and Manny Machado tied the game up. Then Ty France would hit a sac fly, allowing Jace Bowen to score, putting the Padres on top 5-4.
#Padres score a pair in the eighth and regain a 5-4 lead heading into the ninth.
Fear the Reaper. pic.twitter.com/Qy64YxBuwG
— J.Silvs (@JohnSilvaJr) July 12, 2026
Mason Miller would send the Blue Birds packing, a series win to lead the Padres into the All-Star Break.
The Padres return on July 17th to face the Kansas City Royals in a three-game series at Kauffman Stadium.
