Merrill, Vásquez lead the Padres to a 3-0 victory over the Pirates

In a crucial three-game sweep avoidance, the San Diego Padres defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates with a score of 3-0 on Wednesday. Leading the charge were Jackson Merrill and Randy Vásquez, who combined for a dominant performance. Merrill showcased his all-around skills by doubling, tripling, driving in a run, and scoring a run himself.

Vásquez, meanwhile, reached a significant milestone by securing his 10th victory of the season. The Padres maintained their position as the National League’s third wild-card spot, one game ahead of the Arizona Diamondbacks. San Diego has won 12 of their last 17 games and 22 of 31 overall. Merrill’s impressive display included a double to right with one out in the second inning, scoring on Luis Rengifo’s single, a triple to the right-field wall with two outs in the fourth, and driving in another run.

Vásquez stifled the Pirates, retiring his first nine batters before loading the bases in the fourth and striking out Nick Gonzales to close the game. The right-hander allowed only one hit over five innings, striking out three and walking two. Vásquez has four wins and a no-decision in his last five starts, with his previous high being six wins in 2025.

The Pirates, meanwhile, struggled to keep up, stranded 10 runners and went 1 for 13 with runners in scoring position. The Padres’ pitching staff, led by Bubba Chandler and Griffin Canning, played a pivotal role in securing the shutout.