JP Sears, Padres pull off sweep against Braves
James Newell
Host · Writer
SAN DIEGO – The Padres needed 28 outs from their bullpen during their win on Tuesday.
Following the news of right-hander Lucas Giolito heading to the 15-day IL for right elbow inflammation, the Padres, in a pinch, called up left-hander JP Sears from El Paso to make his first start of the season on Wednesday.
With an already taxed bullpen, the ball club needed a serviceable outing from Sears. The 30-year-old gave them exactly that plus a little extra through 5 2/3 innings to help complete a three-game sweep over the Braves with a 5-2 win at Petco Park.
"That's about as good as we could have expect," Padres manager Craig Stammen said.
Sears tossed almost six scoreless frames until a one out walk to Austin Riley and a two out home run to Joey Bart. Despite the one mistake, Sears looked fantastic controlling his counts and not allowing very many baserunners. He tossed 81 pitches, allowing five hits, two walks and punching out five.
"Felt really calm and collected out there today," Sears said. "Had a good game plan with Freddy (Fermin) and the staff here."
First baseman Ty France helped his starting pitcher offensively after corking a low changeup off left-hander Martín Pérez for a lead-off solo home run to left field to make it 1-0 in the third. France came up again on the scoreboard to extend the lead to 2-0 in the very next frame, hitting bases-loaded sac-fly to score Manny Machado.
The Padres managed to load the bases twice during that inning after walks by Machado and Miguel Andújar and a single by Xander Bogaerts. Following the sac-fly, Freddy Fermin would draw another walk against Pérez to load the bases again but the runners would get left stranded after Jase Bowen was called out on strikes.
The offense continued their momentum during the fifth following a lead-off walk to Fernando Tatis Jr. and a bunt single for Samad Taylor, which resulted in Pérez getting yanked for right-hander James Karinchak. Both runners would advance into scoring position after pulling off a double steal, setting up Xander Bogaerts for a high flare to drop out in center for an RBI single.
With a 3-0 lead and one out away from six scoreless innings, Sears would have a chat with Fermin on how to approach Joey Bart, but eventually gave up a two-run homer to cut San Diego's lead to one. But unlike the Padres for pretty much this whole season, they found a way to get some timely at-bat in key moments.
Switching Karinchak for lefty Dylan Dodd, France would kickstart the sixth inning with a lead-off double down the third baseline and later would have runners on the corners with a Jase Bowen walk. With two outs, Taylor would connect on a low and away slider for a two-run single to give back the Padres some cushion.
"It's just good team baseball," France said. "Something we've been not necessarily searching for all year but hoping it would click, and it finally did."
Despite all the struggles this team has faced, the Padres somehow manage to have the Braves number. San Diego has now won 17 of the last 24 contests since 2023. They also have 26 wins when holding their opponents scoreless through the first innings.
It was the fifth time in the last seven games the Padres have scored at least five runs. During the previous 16 games, they only did that four times.
To be fair for Atlanta, the Padres were fortunate to not play their ace and they have been dealing significant injuries throughout their lineup. Either way, the Padres needed to win the series and it came at a good time with two looming meetups with Dodgers (52-29) in the next 10 days and starting a 17 games in 17 days stretch before the All-Star break.
"That's a huge series for us, Taylor said. "The boys are gonna fight. We're gonna keep fighting. It was a great series offensively. Pitching did amazing. JP came up today and threw his butt off."
With the Padres readjusting their starting rotation for the Dodgers series, the first game of the series will be right-hander Walker Buehler (4-3. 3.96 ERA) against fellow right-hander Raki Sasaki (3-4, 4.76 ERA). First pitch of the opening game will be at 6:45 p.m. on Apple TV.
