Mandatory Credit: Chadd Cady-Imagn Images
Petco Park- San Diego, CA
Thursday was certainly fun for the Padres. Plenty of smiles, high fives, and happy posts on X occurred. What didn’t occur was an actual baseball game. Yes, the Padres “won” the trade deadline once again. Now, it’s time to win baseball games. The Padres got that started Friday night in front of a sold-out crowd at Petco Park against the St. Louis Cardinals.
Nick Pivetta toed the rubber for San Diego, facing the Cardinals for the second time in a week. Matthew Liberatore was in the same situation for the Cardinals, allowing one earned run on six hits in 4 1/3 innings last week.
The game got off to a lightning-quick start as neither team could not rattle the opposing starter. Up until the bottom of the fourth, there was only one baserunner total all game (Luis Arraez). For a while, it felt like one mistake could tip the scales. Pivetta made that mistake to first baseman Willson Contreras, who launched a solo homer in the fifth to a shower of boos, giving St. Louis a 1-0 lead.
The Cardinals’ defense let down Liberatore in the bottom of the fifth after a strong start to the game. Jake Cronenworth worked a one-out walk. Then Jose Iglesias dribbled one to third base. Contreras couldn’t handle the throw at first base, which allowed Iglesias to reach base and Cronenworth to third base. The play continued as Contreras inexplicably made an errant throw towards third base to try and nab Cronenworth. This allowed Cronenworth to trot home to tie the game, and Iglesias took second.
Catcher Elias Diaz made it hurt even more, as he singled home Iglesias to give San Diego the lead after the two defensive gaffes.
The bloodletting continued. Multiple Padres hitters worked deep counts to load the bases ahead of Jackson Merrill. The centerfielder lined a base hit into center field to score two more runs to bring the lead to 4-1.
Jackson Merrill has entered the chat. pic.twitter.com/aoJdU9GZXL
— San Diego Padres (@Padres) August 2, 2025
In total, that comedy of errors by St. Louis cost them four runs. Liberatore was chased with one out in the fifth but was only charged one earned run out of four.
With the new additions the Padres made that included All-Star, flame-throwing closer Mason Miller, a three-run lead was more than enough.
Pivetta cruised through seven innings and handed the ball to Miller. At first, it appeared as if Miller might have had some butterflies, allowing the first two batters to reach base. That meant Jordan Walker represented the tying run with no one out in the eighth. That was, until Miller blew him away with a 103 mph (read that again, slowly) fastball at his shoulders for his first strikeout as a Padre. Then he got Yohel Pozo to ground into a double play to end the threat without a run.
STRAIGHT GAS from Mason Miller for his first @Padres strikeout!
103 MPH! ⛽️ pic.twitter.com/8Z3g5BgO6H
— MLB (@MLB) August 2, 2025
Almost unfairly, it went from Miller to Robert Suarez in the ninth inning. He worked a scoreless ninth to earn his 31st save, tops in the majors.
Overall, it was an encouraging start to what feels like the true second half of the Padres’ season, now flush with reinforcements. They try to seal the series win Saturday against St. Louis at 7:10 pm PT.
Native of Escondido, CA. Lived in San Diego area for 20 years. Padres fan since childhood (mid-90s). I have been writing since 2014. I currently live near Seattle, WA and am married to a Seattle sports girl. I wore #19 on my high school baseball team for Tony Gwynn. I am a stats and sports history nerd. I attended BYU on the Idaho campus. I also love Star Wars.
Continue Reading