​The San Diego Padres backed starter Walker Buehler with a 2-0 lead as the game moved into the top of the second against the Toronto Blue Jays, but the early advantage quickly vanished. Buehler immediately surrendered four runs, and San Diego found themselves trailing 4-2 as they headed back to the dugout for their turn at the plate in the bottom of the frame. The back-and-forth affair saw the score tied at 4-4 and then again at 7-7, before Ty France delivered a decisive solo homer in the bottom of the sixth to cap a dramatic 8-7 victory for the Blue Jays at Petco Park on Saturday night.
Buehler endured his third straight disappointing outing, allowing four runs on three hits with four walks and one strikeout over just two innings. Matt Waldron, newly returned to the Padres, entered in relief and turned in a solid three-inning showing, not allowing a run and limiting Toronto to two hits. San Diego had preserved a 7-4 lead when Waldron left the game, but the tide turned when Bradgley Rodriguez took over for Yuki Matsui in the top of the sixth with two runners on. Rodriguez surrendered a three-run homer to Vladimir Guerrero Jr., tying the game at 7-7.
In the bottom of the sixth, France answered with a solo shot with two outs to put the Padres back in front by a run. The teams traded zeroes over the next two innings, and Mason Miller then came on to close out the game, securing the win for San Diego.
Looking ahead, the Padres will attempt to clinch the series against the Blue Jays and head into the All-Star break with a .500 record, set for today at 1:10 p.m. local time.
Padres News: The club’s draft strategy remains a focal point, as evidenced by selecting high school pitcher Coleman Borthwick with their first-round pick and adding four more selections on the opening day of the MLB draft. A.J. Preller, the Padres’ president of baseball operations and general manager, spoke about the team’s draft approach and what moves could come at the trade deadline. The organization’s owners are taking notes as they plan for the franchise’s future.
In other baseball notes: The Boston Red Sox extended their winning streak to eight games with a shutout of the New York Mets. Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Jacob Misiorowski will miss the All-Star Game due to arm fatigue. Alex Bregman’s homer helped the Chicago Cubs defeat the Cincinnati Reds, while Matthew Liberatore powered the St. Louis Cardinals to a win over the Atlanta Braves. Brandon Pfaadt guided the Arizona Diamondbacks to a 9-2 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers, and the San Francisco Giants defeated the Colorado Rockies 4-2.