Pirates Can’t Keep up With Padres; Missed Opportunities, Faltered Late

PITTSBURGH — Rain delayed the start of the game by over an hour before clearing, but the San Diego Padres poured it on the Pittsburgh Pirates in the late innings at PNC Park.

Luis Arraez’s two-run single capped off a three-run eighth inning, and the Padres scored again in the ninth to sink the Pirates 9-4 on Friday night. 

How We Got There

The Pirates (12-21) took a 1-0 lead in the third inning when Bryan Reynolds knocked in Oneil Cruz with a base hit to right field. Reynolds was then thrown out trying to take second base on a throw home.

The lead was short-lived as Gavin Sheets hit a solo home run on Mitch Keller’s second pitch of the fourth inning. The Padres (20-11) then jumped ahead 2-1 on Tyler Wade’s RBI single up the middle past a drawn-in infield. 

With the bases loaded and two outs in the fourth, Alexander drew a walk after falling behind 0-2 against Dylan Cease to tie the game. 

But the Padres took back the lead by striking for three runs in the fifth. Arraez doubled home the first run of the inning. Manny Machado followed with a base hit to center just out of reach of the diving Cruz in center, but Reynolds couldn’t connect with first baseman Enmanuel Valdez on the throw back in, allowing Arraez to score on a throwing error. Sheets plated Machado with a single up the middle.

The Pirates clawed back, with Valdez driving in a run on a groundout in the fifth and Adam Frazier hitting a solo home run to right in the sixth.

Adam Frazier's second of the season 💥 pic.twitter.com/ECAACiuRZl

— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) May 3, 2025

But the Padres broke things open in the top of the eighth Brandon Lockridge padded San Diego’s lead with an RBI single before Arraez’s two-run knock off Caleb Ferguson. 

Jason Heyward tacked on an insurance run in the ninth with a sac fly off Colin Holderman.

Key Moment

Andrew McCutchen stepped to the plate in the sixth with two runners on and the Pirates trailing by a run but grounded out on the first pitch from Yuki Matsui. 

Star of the Game

Gavin Sheets finished 3 for 5 with a home run and two RBIs. It’s the second time this season Sheets had a three-hit game – also on March 31 against the Guardians. 

Notable Pirates Performances

• Mitch Keller (1-3): 5.0 innings, eight hits, five runs (four earned), one walk, three strikeouts, 88 pitches/64 strikes
• Adam Frazier: 1 for 2, one home run, one RBI, one run, one HBP
• Bryan Reynolds: 2 for 4, one RBI, one walk, one steal
• Oneil Cruz: 0 for 3, two runs, two walks, two steals

Stat to Know

Padres manager Mike Shildt is now 26-5 in his career at PNC Park. That .839 winning percentage is the highest of any manager in any stadium in MLB history with a minimum of 25 games.  

Noteworthy

• Oneil Cruz stole two bases, extending his steak to 34-consecutive stolen base attempts. He’s 14 for 14 on the season.
• The Pirates went 1 for 7 with runners in scoring position and left nine men on base. The Bucs were outhit 14-7 by the Friars.
• The Pirates recalled INF Liover Peguero from Triple-A Indianapolis and optioned RHP Hunter Stratton.
• The official time of the delay was 1 hour and 12 minutes, the longest for the Pirates this season.

Up Next

The Pirates and Padres will continue their weekend series on Saturday. LHP Bailey Falter (1-3, 5.93 ERA) will be opposed by RHP Randy Vásquez (1-3, 4.28 ERA). First pitch: 4:05 p.m. ET.