Athletics Rally Past Padres for First Home Win of Season

WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The Oakland Athletics recorded their first win of the season at Sutter Health Park on Tuesday night, defeating the San Diego Padres 10-4. The victory followed a challenging start to the season, and was highlighted by a six-run first inning that set the tone for the game.

Dylan Cease (1-1) struggled on the mound for the Athletics, giving up a career-high nine earned runs across four innings. His performance followed an early 3-0 lead, which he relinquished after allowing six runs with two outs in the first. Cease was unable to recover, finishing with nine hits allowed and three walks, raising his ERA to 7.98.

“It was a tough outing for me,” Cease said. “I felt like I had a chance to get out of the first unscathed, but it just unraveled quickly.”

The Athletics offense capitalized on Cease’s early struggles, with JJ Bleday and Gio Urshela each driving in three runs. Bleday contributed with a two-run double and a home run in the seventh off Yuki Matsui, while Urshela delivered a crucial two-run double amidst the Athletics’ rally.

San Diego’s misfortune was compounded pre-game as they placed center fielder Jackson Merrill on the 10-day injured list due to a right hamstring strain. Further injuries occurred during the game as both Fernando Tatis Jr. and Jake Cronenworth left due to injuries incurred while swinging.

<p“Manny Machado’s first home run of the season came off Jeffrey Springs (1-1) in the first inning, giving the Padres a brief lead. The Athletics responded decisively, starting with Bleday’s two-run double that brought home runs, followed by Urshela’s contributions. In a pivotal moment, left fielder Oscar Gonzalez mishandled a single, allowing two additional runs to cross the plate in the fourth.

The final highlight came as the A’s Nos. 5-9 batters combined for 11 hits, eight RBIs, and eight runs in a remarkable display of offensive prowess.

Looking ahead, the Athletics will seek to build on this momentum as they prepare to face off against the New York Mets on Friday, while the Padres will host the Colorado Rockies starting this weekend.

“This win means a lot,” Bleday said. “We needed this to get our confidence back and start playing to our potential.”