Padres shut out again at home in Buehler-Sánchez pitchers duel

SAN DIEGO – Wednesday afternoon’s pitching showcase was like a difference in dining experiences; San Diego’s Walker Buehler offering an omakase of seven pitches and Philadelphia’s Cristopher Sánchez providing a pure ‘starch and protein’ approach with a changeup, sinker and slider.

Unfortunately for the Padres, they were unable to take advantage of early chances when the Phillies starter got in the weeds, getting shut out for the third time in the home stand and swept at home for the first time since 2024 in a 3-0 loss at Petco Park.

Fernando Tatis Jr. and Jackson Merrill each collected a pair of hits, but San Diego (31-24) struggled with runners in scoring position again, going 0-for-8 and extending their skid to 35 in a row without a hit. Sánchez went seven innings and set a Philadelphia (29-27) franchise record with 44 2/3 scoreless in a row, backed up by Trea Turner’s solo home run and two RBI.

Buehler was in a groove through the first five innings, facing the minimum thanks to getting a pair of inning-ending double plays in the second and fourth and never facing a runner in scoring position. But after getting a ground out to start the sixth, Justin Crawford singled and Emundo Sosa got hit by a pitch to end Buehler’s afternoon after just 58 pitches.

Adrian Morejon came in to face the Phillies trio of dangerous lefties atop the order, and Kyle Schwarber grounded a full count grounder through the right side for the first run of the game. Turner followed by hitting a slow chopper to short that scored the second run, making it four of 14 inherited runners that have scored against Morejon.

The first two innings represented the best opportunities for San Diego, particularly the first. Tatis Jr. led off with an infield single and then was able to steal second on a pick off move when Bryce Harper’s throw was too high and away from Turner to attempt a tag.

But Sánchez was able to get the next three outs via ground out, strike out and pop out.

Then in the second inning, Merrill looped a broken-bat single over shortstop and Nick Castellanos singled with two outs, but a ground out to third left Merrill stranded 90 feet away.

Manny Machado hit a pair of charges off Sánchez, getting slightly out in front of a changeup in the fourth and hitting it to the left field warning track. Then in the sixth inning he stung a middle-middle sinker 399 feet to right center, only to have it snatched on the run by Justin Crawford.

For the home stand, the Padres went 2-for-46 with runners in scoring position and stranded 53, with both of their hits coming in the win over the Athletics on Friday.

Buehler took a tough luck loss, his third, allowing just three hits and two runs with a pair of strikeouts and no walks. Morejon allowed a hit in 2/3 of an inning, while Jeremiah Estrada had a strike out and a hit in his inning of work. Jason Adam pitched a clean eighth and Ron Marinaccio allowed the home run to Turner in the ninth.

Sánchez’s record-setting  44 2/3  in a row unblemished are not only the longest for Philadelphia since 1893 when the current mound distance was set, but also is also the longest by an NL lefty in the Expansion Era (since 1961).

He became the sixth pitcher in MLB history to record five consecutive starts with at least seven innings pitched without allowing a run, finishing with six hits allowed and nine strikeouts in seven innings to earn his sixth win. José Alvarado earned his first save of the season.

Thursday will be an off day, before the Padres begin a six-game road trip that begins with three games in the nation’s capitol against the Washington Nationals. Then, after another off day on Monday, June 1, San Diego completes their season series against the Phillies with a three-game set at Citizens Bank Park.

Coming off five scoreless innings against the Athletics in his most recent outing, Lucas Giolito (2-0, 2.70 ERA) is currently slated to start the series opener against Washington on Friday, May 29. The Nats, who entered the day in second place in the NL East, have yet to announce who will throw the 3:45 p.m. first pitch at Nationals Park.