Giants Earn First Win, Defeat Padres 3-2 as Bader Homers Off Buehler

Rookie manager Tony Vitello gets his first victory as Giants hold off late Padres rally.

Mar. 31, 2026 at 4:33am

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The San Francisco Giants earned their first win of the season, defeating the San Diego Padres 3-2 on Monday night. Harrison Bader hit the Giants' first home run of the year off Padres starter Walker Buehler, and the Giants added two more runs in the fourth inning. Rookie manager Tony Vitello picked up his first career victory as the Giants held off a late Padres rally.

Why it matters

The Giants were struggling to start the season, getting swept by the Yankees and failing to score more than one run in their first three games. This win gives them some much-needed momentum and a chance to turn things around under their new manager Vitello, who is making his MLB debut this year.

The details

Bader's third-inning solo shot off Buehler gave the Giants their first home run of 2023. San Francisco then added two more runs in the fourth on RBI singles from Patrick Bailey and Casey Schmitt. Padres rookie Jackson Merrill hit a two-run homer in the ninth to make it close, but Giants pitcher Ryan Walker closed out the game for the save.

  • The game was played on Monday, March 31, 2026.
  • Bader's home run came in the third inning.
  • The Giants scored their two insurance runs in the fourth inning.

The players

Harrison Bader

Giants outfielder who hit the team's first home run of the season.

Walker Buehler

Padres starting pitcher making his debut with the team after pitching for the Dodgers, Red Sox, and Phillies in recent seasons.

Tony Vitello

Rookie manager of the Giants, hired from the University of Tennessee with no prior professional playing or coaching experience.

Jackson Merrill

Padres rookie who hit a two-run homer in the ninth inning to make it close.

Ryan Walker

Giants pitcher who got the save, allowing the two-run homer to Merrill but then retiring the next batter to close out the game.

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What they’re saying

“This win gives us some much-needed momentum and a chance to turn things around under our new manager.”

— Harrison Bader, Giants Outfielder

What’s next

The Giants and Padres will face off again on Tuesday night, with San Francisco's Logan Webb scheduled to start against the Padres' Germán Márquez, who is making his debut with San Diego.

The takeaway

After a dismal start to the season, the Giants were able to earn their first win behind a strong pitching performance and timely hitting. This victory could provide the spark the team needs to get their season on track under new manager Tony Vitello.