The San Diego Padres scored runs in six consecutive innings to pull away from the San Francisco Giants, only to have to hold off a late push for a 7-6 win on Saturday afternoon at Oracle Park.
Michael King pitched seven complete for the fourth time in 2026 to earn his 11th win for the Padres(80-68), who were powered by Dustin Harris matching his career-high with three RBI as well as home runs by Jackson Merrill and Fernando Tatis Jr. Rafael Devers homered for the second straight day for the Giants (62-87), who hit four long balls.
It nearly came undone in the eighth, as reliever Bradgley Rodriguez allowed a solo shot to Drew Cavanaugh and then a two-run home run by Drew Gilbert without getting an out. Adrian Morejon came on and struck out Devers, then Bryce Eldredge before getting a short ground out to hold the narrowed edge.
The Padres had a chance to add-on again as Xander Bogaerts led off with a check-swing that went down the first base line for a double, then got bunted over. It was Bogaerts’ fourth hit of the day, his season high. After a ground out, Tatis was intentionally walked and stole second, but Sung-Mun Song struck out to end the inning.
Mason Miller had a strikeout as part of a one-two-three ninth for his 36th save.
After chasing through the first three innings, the Padres took their first lead in the fourth with Samad Taylor leading off with a bunt single. Tatis Jr. followed up with a single that got Taylor to third, then Harris knocked in his third run of the afternoon with a sacrifice fly.
An inning later Austin Hays ripped a one-out double down the left field line and advanced to third on a ground out. Then Jake Cronenworth dropped a picture perfect safety squeeze to the third base line which ended the afternoon of Giants starter Cesar Perdomo.
The Padres increased their stretch of runs in five consecutive innings, as in the sixth Tatis crushed his 21st home run to left field, 421 feet a good four-fifths the way up the seats.
It continued through the seventh thanks to an unearned run, as Bogaerts hustled out a one-out, infield single, then Taylor walked. Tatis hit a grounder to third that got through Whitcomb on an error to make it 7-3.
King got stung for the long ball twice in the first two innings, and then settled in to retire 14 Giants in a row. That ended as the leadoff man in the seventh, Jonah Cox, singled, but King induced a grounder to short for a six-three double play. A two-out hit was of little consequence.
The San Diego starter pitched seven complete for the fourth time on the campaign, allowing five hits and three runs with four strikeouts and, perhaps most critically, no walks for the second time this year.
King saw his career-long scoreless streak end two batters into the opening inning, as he allowed a lead-off single to Drew Gilbert and then Devers got a hold of a sweeper under the zone and sent it over the wall in right-center. Devers has seven of his 37 home runs in September, and three of his four against San Diego for the season have come at Oracle Park.
It ended a stretch of 21 2/3 innings without a run allowed by King, dating back to the final 2 2/3 at the New York Mets on Aug. 19. As part of the streak he had three consecutive starts with at least six innings pitched where he didn’t allow a run, becoming the sixth Padre to do so.
The Padres response was quick, as they loaded the bases against the lefty Perdomo on back-to-back singles by Hays and Bogaerts, then with two outs Tatis worked his second walk of the game.
Harris took advantage, poking a single through the left side for a two-RBI knock to tie the game. Of the six RBI the in-season minor league signee Harris has had in his 10 games with the Padres, five have come in the past two games at San Francisco.
But another sweeper, this one that stayed middle-low over the heart of the plate, got cracked into the Giants bullpen by Shay Whitcomb the following inning.
No matter, as Merrill continued his heater, jumping all over a one-out, first-pitch changeup and launching it into the Padres bullpen to set a new career-high with 25 home runs and re-tie the game. It also made him the fourth NL player with at least 25 home runs and 25 stolen bases.
The series finale will see Nick Pivetta (2-2, 3.43 ERA) make his second start since returning from right elbow inflammation on Sept. 7. San Francisco counters with righty Logan Webb (8-8, 4.10 ERA), who will be looking for his first win in nearly a month (Aug. 15, vs Colorado). He took a loss after allowing five runs at Boston, and has had three non-decisions in a row, including getting ripped for nine runs at Pittsburgh on Sept. 1.
First pitch is scheduled for 4:20 p.m. and the game will be streamed exclusively on Peacock/NBCSN.