Bowen's first homer, strong pitching lift Padres over Giants

SAN DIEGO, Calif. –The San Diego Padres (56-54) got their offense going again on Friday night with a 7-0 victory over the San Francisco Giants (47-63).

Friday was an interesting day for Padres left fielder Jase Bowen, who said he dreamt he would hit a home run. He told his wife, “Wouldn’t that be cool if it happened?”

He then headed to Petco Park for the second game of a four-game series against the Giants.

Before the game, Bowen decided to take the sliding glove out of his back pocket and instead placed a small Jesus Christ figurine, given to him by a fan in El Paso, in its place.

When he came to the plate in the fourth inning, Bowen crushed a slider to deep left field for his first career home run, extending the Padres’ lead to 4-0. As he rounded third base, Fernando Tatis Jr., who was due up next, was already celebrating. When Bowen returned to the dugout, he was greeted with congratulations from his teammates.

“That’s the second coolest moment of my life behind getting married this offseason,” Bowen said. “You work your entire life for a moment like that, and it was just special.”

Bowen joked that maybe he had found a new tradition.

“He came through today,” Bowen said of the Jesus figurine. “Thank God, I guess it was just part of it. Super cool.”

He added that after the game he was greeted by numerous text messages and phone calls from friends and family who had stayed up to watch him hit his first Major League home run. He said the club is working on trying to retrieve the ball for him. 

Padres manager Craig Stammen was thrilled for Bowen, especially after watching all the work he has put in.

“It was just nice to see Jace get his first home run, starting to play baseball like what we saw in spring training,” Stammen said.

As for the rest of the game, Stammen elected to use three pitchers. Bradgley Rodríguez started and threw one inning, Yuki Matsui followed with three innings, and Germán Márquez finished the final five. The trio combined to allow just two hits while striking out six.

“Yuki did an outstanding job tonight,” Stammen said. “Him and German, players of the game.”

Jul 31, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres catcher Freddy Fermin (54) embraces relief pitcher Yuki Matsui (1) walking off the field during the fourth inning against the San Francisco Giants at Petco Park.

Jul 31, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres catcher Freddy Fermin (54) embraces relief pitcher Yuki Matsui (1) walking off the field during the fourth inning against the San Francisco Giants at Petco Park.

The Padres offense got going early. Tatis opened the first inning with a double, and Luis Rengifo followed with a single that moved Tatis to third. Manny Machado then drove him home with a sacrifice fly to make it 1-0.

They weren’t finished. After a Ty France walk and a Jackson Merrill flyout, designated hitter Luis Campusano singled to left field, scoring Rengifo for a 2-0 lead.

In the bottom of the third inning, Xander Bogaerts grounded into a double play, but it still allowed Merrill to score and extend the lead to 3-0.

Following Bowen’s home run in the fourth, Tatis and Rengifo drew back-to-back walks. Machado then flew out, but Tatis stole third and Rengifo swiped second to put both runners in scoring position. France delivered a single to center field that drove in both runners, pushing the lead to 6-0.

The Padres added another run in the sixth when France lifted a sacrifice fly that scored Rengifo, making it 7-0.

Stammen credited Márquez and Randy Vásquez for giving the club quality length over the last two games and said it has the pitching staff in a good position heading into the weekend.

Jul 31, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres center fielder Jackson Merrill (3) celebrates with left fielder Jase Bowen (4) after defeating the San Francisco Giants in the ninth inning at Petco Park.

Jul 31, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres center fielder Jackson Merrill (3) celebrates with left fielder Jase Bowen (4) after defeating the San Francisco Giants in the ninth inning at Petco Park.

“We just got to go day by day and figure it out,” Stammen said. “But those two guys giving us a lot of length these last two days sets our bullpen up for Walker tomorrow and King the next day and then whoever we decide to start on the first day in in Arizona.”

As things stand, the Padres are one game behind the Philadelphia Phillies, who own the tiebreaker after sweeping San Diego earlier this season. Ahead of the Phillies are the Arizona Diamondbacks, whom the Padres will face in a four-game series beginning Monday. Before that, though, San Diego will look to finish this series on a high note before the trade deadline.

The series is now tied 1-1. The third game is set for Saturday at 5:40 p.m. PT, with Tyler Mahle (3-9) facing Walker Buehler (6-5).