Padres Defeat Tigers for First Win of Season

Randy Vasquez's strong outing leads San Diego to victory in series finale

Mar. 29, 2026 at 9:25am

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The San Diego Padres avoided a season-opening sweep at the hands of the Detroit Tigers with a 3-0 victory on Saturday night. Padres starter Randy Vasquez fired six shutout innings, allowing just two hits while striking out eight. The Padres scored all three of their runs in the third and fifth innings, taking advantage of some shaky Detroit pitching and defense.

Why it matters

This win is an important early-season boost for the Padres, who were looking to avoid starting the year 0-3. The Tigers, meanwhile, missed out on the chance to complete a sweep and build momentum after making the playoffs last season.

The details

Vasquez was dominant on the mound for the Padres, keeping the Tigers' bats quiet throughout his outing. San Diego scored the only runs they would need in the third inning on a pair of two-out RBI hits by Jake Cronenworth and Fernando Tatis Jr. They added an insurance run in the fifth when Gleyber Torres committed a fielding error on a Tatis steal of second base. Padres relievers Kyle Hart and Mason Miller preserved the shutout.

  • The game was played on Saturday, March 29, 2026.
  • Vasquez struck out a career-high 8 batters.

The players

Randy Vasquez

The Padres' starting pitcher, who threw six shutout innings and struck out 8 batters.

Fernando Tatis Jr.

The Padres' star shortstop, who drove in two runs with a key hit in the third inning.

Jack Flaherty

The Tigers' starting pitcher, who took the loss after allowing 3 runs (2 earned) over 4.1 innings.

Craig Stammen

The Padres' first-year manager, who earned his first win of the season.

A.J. Hinch

The Tigers' manager, whose team was unable to complete the season-opening sweep.

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What they’re saying

“Randy was outstanding tonight. He set the tone early and our offense was able to capitalize on some opportunities. It's a great way to get that first win of the season.”

— Craig Stammen, Padres Manager

What’s next

The Padres will look to build on this win as they continue their homestand, while the Tigers will try to rebound when they return home to face the Guardians.

The takeaway

This victory shows the Padres' resilience after dropping the first two games of the season. Meanwhile, the Tigers missed a chance to make an early statement, but will have opportunities to get back on track in the coming weeks.