The San Diego Padres found a seventh-inning spark, but a ninth-inning meltdown led to an 8-7 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on June 14.

Through the first six innings, the game looked like a repeat of the night before. The Padres scored a run in the second inning, courtesy of Gavin Sheets‘ 12th home run of the season. Over the next four innings, the offense looked comatose.

Got Milk?

⭐: https://t.co/ARilN7zMDX pic.twitter.com/hhbIt6dqrs

— San Diego Padres (@Padres) June 14, 2025

Sheets’ home run traveled 416 feet, 105.8 mph off the bat with a 29-degree launch angle. He went 3-for-3 on the night and was a triple shy of completing the cycle. Sheets hit a double in the seventh inning and a single in the eighth. He also drew a walk to reach base four times.

Seventh inning spark

The Sheets double served as the seventh-inning spark that awakened the Padres. His double led off the inning, followed by a single from Jake Cronenworth. Later in the inning, with the bases loaded and one out, Fernando Tatis, Jr. drove in two runs with a single to left to tie the score at 3-3.

Fernando Tatis Jr.: 2-run, game-tying 1B
Manny Machado: 2-run, go-ahead 2B

The @Padres break through in the 7th! pic.twitter.com/X53LzqPBCq

— MLB (@MLB) June 15, 2025

Two batters later, Manny Machado hit a line drive to deep center to drive in two more runs. Machado swung at the first pitch of the at-bat, an 89 mph sinker over the inner-half of the plate. He leads the Padres with 41 RBI and an .885 OPS.

Band-aid rotation

Manager Mike Schildt has had to keep his starting rotation intact with band-aids this season. Ryan Bergert, one of those band-aids, made his third start of the season. Bergert struck out eight over five innings. He allowed three runs, all in the fourth inning.

Bergert induced 15 whiffs over those five innings. He ran into trouble in the fourth, allowing a 3-run home run to Eugenio Suarez. As a starter, Bergert has a 2.98 ERA over 15.1 innings pitched.

According to news reports, Michael King can’t hold a baseball, let alone throw one. Yu Darvish is pitching simulated games at the team’s Arizona League complex in Peoria. A timetable for his return is still not known.

The Padres are also without Joe Musgrove, who likely won’t pitch again until 2026. He is recovering from Tommy John Surgery. The last time he pitched was in October of last year, in Game 2 of the National League Wild Card Series. The Padres have had to rely on Bergert, Stephen Kolek, and Randy Vasquez to carry the load in their place. Kyle Hart opened the season as the team’s fifth starter. He is currently in Triple-A El Paso.

Dylan Cease and Nick Pivetta are the only two expected starters still in the rotation.

Bullpen falters in ninth

The Diamondbacks rallied for five runs in the ninth to escape with the 8-7 win. With the bases loaded, Padres closer Robert Suarez threw a changeup over the middle of the plate. Geraldo Perdomo sent it to deep right field for a bases-clearing triple. This tied the game at 7-7. Adrian Morejon relieved Suarez, who picked up his second loss of the season. Former Padre Josh Naylor was the first batter Morejon faced. He hit a slow dribbler to first, enough to allow Perdomo to score from third.

Next up

The Padres finish their 3-game set with Arizona with a Father’s Day afternoon game. The game is scheduled to begin at 1:10 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time (PDT). Pivetta is expected to take the bump against Merrill Kelly.

Mike Ursery

Mike is the sports editor for the Fayette Advertiser, and has been with East Village Times since 2015. His work has appeared on Bleacher Report. He is an avid Padres fan who is keeping the faith and trusting the process.