PNC Park- Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Fresh off a two-game sweep of their division rival Giants, the San Diego Padres headed east for a series with the Pittsburgh Pirates.

San Diego needed to keep momentum going as the team embarked on a three-city, nine-game road trip.

After a lengthy rain delay, Dylan Cease took the mound in the first game for the Padres. Mitch Keller toed the rubber for the Pirates.

The Padres’ game started out gloomy, just like the weather. Fernando Tatis Jr. was drilled in the forearm in the third inning with a 97 mph fastball. His left arm immediately swelled up, and he was removed from the game. The Padres updated the injury during the game, calling it a forearm contusion. The initial x-rays are negative. This is good news for the Padres, but Tatis will likely need some time off.

Fernando Tatis Jr. left the game after being hit by this pitch

You could see the swelling already on his left forearm pic.twitter.com/TuCzvRrij5

— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) May 3, 2025

Gavin Sheets was battling through a cold spell as he hit Pittsburgh on Friday. The left-handed hitter was 1-for-23 in his last seven games heading into the game against the Pirates.

Sheets struck out on a high fastball in his first at-bat against Keller, but crushed a homer in his second at-bat in the fourth inning and never looked back. The 406-foot drive to rightfield registered 108.6 mph off the bat. Sheets also drove in a run with a single in the fifth inning and went 3-for-5 on the night.

Clear the deck, Gavin! pic.twitter.com/6eIHQqF01j

— San Diego Padres (@Padres) May 3, 2025

Dylan Cease could not complete four innings on Friday, coughing up an early run with a two-out rally by the Pirates in the third inning. He also got a little wild in the fourth inning and again surrendered a run, allowing the Pirates to rally with two outs and nobody on base. The right-handed pitcher threw 91 pitches in the game, surrendering two runs on three hits and three walks. He struck out three in the game, and his ERA is at 5.61 on the year.

Not exactly the year Cease envisioned on his walk year before hitting free agency in the winter. The velocity was fine from the right-handed pitcher as he topped out at the 97-98 mph range and generated 10 swings and misses in the game. He will look to get it going at his next start against the Yankees in New York next week.

The Padres held a 4-2 lead after five innings, which is the perfect recipe for them, considering their bullpen is the best in the majors.

Alek Jacob allowed a solo homer to Adam Frazier in the sixth, and Yuki Matsui came in to relieve him. The lefty got O’Neil Cruz, but then walked Bryan Reynolds to force a first and third situation with two outs. Andrew McCutchen came to the plate and grounded out to Manny Machado to end the threat.

Jeremiah Estrada was dominant in the game, striking out all three batters he faced in the seventh inning.

Brandon Lockridge, fresh off the I.L., drove in a run for the Padres in the top of the eighth inning on a 105.8 mph (off the bat) single, making it 6-4 San Diego. Luis Arraez followed Lockridge with a two-out, two-RBI hit, bringing the score to 8-4, Padres. It was Arraez’s third hit on the night in five at-bats. “We have an amazing team. We just need to play hard,” Arraez said after the game.

San Diego added on in the top of the ninth, making it 9-4. That would be it from Pittsburgh as the Padres win the first game of their nine-game road trip.

Up next, the Padres play the Pirates on Saturday at 1:05 p.m.

Randy Vasquez (1-3, 4.28 ERA) and Bailey Falter (1-3, 5.93 ERA) are the starting pitchers.

James Clark

James was born and raised in America’s Finest City. He is a passionate baseball fan with even more passion towards his hometown Padres. James has written about the Padres and their prospects for over a decade. He also writes about San Diego State as well as other local sports. James is the Editor-In-Chief of EastVillageTimes.com. Always striving to bring you the highest quality in San Diego Sports News. Original content, with original ideas, that’s our motto. Enjoy.