Baz, Díaz lead the Rays to 1-0 win over the Padres, who suffer consecutive shutouts

By Canadian Press on April 25, 2025.

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Shane Baz pitched seven strong innings and Yandy Díaz hit a sacrifice fly for the Tampa Bay Rays, who beat San Diego 1-0 on Friday night to hand the Padres their fifth loss in seven games.

Baz (3-0) allowed just four singles while striking out six and walking one for the Rays, who won their third straight.

The Padres suffered consecutive shutouts for the first time this season.

San Diego’s Gavin Sheets reached with one out in the ninth when catcher Ben Rortvedt couldn’t hold on to strike three for a passed ball. But the game ended when right fielder Kameron Misner made a diving catch of Oscar Gonzalez’s sinking liner and doubled pinch-runner Mason McCoy off first. The Padres challenged both outs, but the calls were upheld.

Michael King (3-1) wasn’t as dominating as he was in his last home start, when he two-hit Colorado in a 6-0 win on April 13 for his first career complete game. He left after throwing 90 pitches in five innings against the Rays, allowing one unearned run and four hits while striking out nine and walking one.

Tampa Bay loaded the bases with no outs in the third inning, on a throwing error by shortstop Xander Bogaerts and consecutive singles but got only one run out of it. Díaz hit a sacrifice fly before King retired the side.

Garrett Cleavinger pitched the ninth for his first save.

Key moment

Padres left fielder Tirso Ornelas, who grew up across the border in Tijuana, got his first big league hit when he singled to center over leaping shortstop Taylor Walls leading off the fifth. Ornelas, 25, was recalled from Triple-A El Paso last Saturday after Jason Heyward went on the 10-day injured list.

Key stat

Díaz came in having collected three hits in consecutive games for the fifth time in his career, but still hasn’t done it in three straight. He went 1 for 3 with the sac fly.

Up next

Rays RHP Ryan Pepiot (1-3, 3.82 ERA) and Padres RHP Dylan Cease (1-1, 6.04) are scheduled to start Saturday.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Bernie Wilson, The Associated Press