The skid continued for the Padres, who dropped their seventh in eight games as San Diego was still unable to solve the Philadelphia Phillies in a 3-2 loss on Tuesday night at Citizens Bank Park.
Randy Vásquez and Aaron Nola made one mistake apiece, each allowing a two run home run, and Gavin Sheets hitting a two-run home run to plate the only runs for the Padres (32-27). Bryce Harper had a two-run blast for the Phillies (31-29) and scored the go-ahead run.
"Recapping every game when they're close like this, where we could've figured out a way to win on the margin there, and they out played us by just a hair today. One run win by them, and we didn't do the little things to help us stay in the game and win that one," manager Craig Stammen said.
The game featured the Major League debut of 25-year-old righty Jase Bowen, who started in left field and slotted seventh in the order, collecting his first hit in the seventh inning, finishing 1-for-4 and recording three putouts.
Fernando Tatis Jr. continued swinging a hot stick, picking up hits in his first two at bats, banging a lead off double to start the evening and then battling a two-out grounder back up the middle in the third, giving his multiple hits in four of his last five games. Back in right field for the second consecutive game, Tatis finished with three hits.
While the Padres came up empty in the first, Sheets reached for a low and slightly away knuckle curve and powered it out to right field for his 10th home run of the season. Seven of Sheets’ long balls have come on the road, along with 17 of his 25 RBI.
"He's a good golfer and he's got a good baseball swing also, and that way right in his honey hole — that's the lefty honey hole, no-fly zone, the down anything for lefties and so he's been a bright spot for out offense all season (and) he continues to come up with big hits," Stammen said.
It gave San Diego their first lead against the Phillies this season and first since the second-to-last game of the 2025 season series. It wouldn’t last, and the Padres finished 0-for-7 in RISP situations; they are 0-for-27 in the four games against Philadelphia.
Robert Sloter - The Sporting Tribune
Randy Vasquez #98 of the San Diego Padres throw a pitch against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on June 2, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Then in the fourth, Trea Turner led off with a single and then Bryce Harper connected with a sweeper on the outside part of the plate that leaked back middle. The Phillies first baseman drove the 3-1 pitch the opposite way into the left field seats for his 14th round-tripper of the season.
Other than that, Vásquez scattered five hits and struck out three with one walk on 80 pitches, with the pair of runs coming off the Harper home run. He faced three at bats with runners in scoring position, being able to get out of a two-out spot in the second and two more sandwiched around an intentional walk to Kyle Schwarber to get out of the fifth.
"I thought he pitched great, he gave up one two-run home run, he had a few lineouts that got caught, but that's kind of what Randy does, he figures his way to get in and out of it. He made just one mistake and one of the best hitters in the game took him out," Stammen said.
Then with Jeremiah Estrada on the hill for the sixth, Harper walked and Brandon Marsh singled to begin. But Alex Bohm grounded into a six-four-three double play that scored Harper, and a strikeout limited the damage, but the run was the game winner and tagged Estrada with his second loss.
Yuki Matsui lasted 2/3 of the seventh inning, allowing a hit and a walk with a strikeout, before Jason Adam came on with men on first and second. Turner hit a soft single, but Harper grounded out to end the threat. Bradgley Rodriguez allowed a hit and a walk in the eighth.
Nola relied on his knuckle curve once again, recording six of his eight strikeouts with it while allowing four hits to go with the two runs. Reliever José Alvarado earned his second win of the season, while Jhoan Duran recorded his 13th save.
Bowen, the former 11th round selection by PIttsburgh signed a minor league deal with the Padres before the season. After a team-leading 16 hits during Spring Training, was ranked in the top three in 10 batting stats for the El Paso Chihuahuas before having his contract selected.
Prior to the game San Diego made a pair of additional roster moves to make room for Bowen, placing Ramón Laureano on the 10-day IL with right hip inflammation, retro to May 31. Additionally, Nick Pivetta was transferred to the 60-day IL, retro to April 13 with right elbow inflammation.
The second game of the series will see Walker Buehler (3-3, 4.88 ERA) get the nod for the Padres, going against lefty Cristopher Sánchez (6-1, 1.47 ERA). Both started in the final game of the series in San Diego one week ago, where Sánchez extended his scoreless streak to 44 2/3 innings. First pitch is scheduled for 3:40 p.m. PT at Citizens Bank Park.