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Merrill, King lead Padres past Astros 3-2 at Petco Park

Jackson Merrill’s home run and Michael King’s six innings of pitching helped the San Diego Padres secure a 3-2 victory over the Houston Astros on Saturday.

Owen Iverson

August 9, 20262 min read

baseball victory - illustration, Jake Team LLC
baseball victory - illustration, Jake Team LLC
MLBFinal
Houston Astros2
San Diego Padres3

August 8, 2026

Standout Performances

Jackson Merrill provided the offensive spark for the San Diego Padres, hitting a home run to center field in the third inning that measured 421 feet. His power display helped San Diego take a lead they would maintain through the final out.

On the mound, Michael King was the winning pitcher for San Diego. He logged 6.0 innings of work, allowing just one earned run while striking out six batters. King’s outing included three hits and one walk against the Houston Astros lineup. He earned the win, improving his record to 7-8.

Game Flow

The scoring began in the first inning when the Astros took an early 1-0 advantage. Tatis Jr. scored after Merrill hit into a fielder's choice to right field, with France out at second and Cronenworth reaching third.

Houston tied the game in the second inning when Trammell homered to right center, a shot that traveled 409 feet. The score stood at 1-1 heading into the third.

Merrill’s home run in the third inning gave San Diego a 2-1 lead. The Padres extended their advantage in the fourth inning when Sheets scored on an error. Tatis Jr. was also safe at first on a fielding error by Astros shortstop Peña, making the score 3-1.

The Astros managed to cut the deficit in the ninth inning. Diaz singled to left field, allowing Walker to score, making the final score 3-2.

Pitching Details

Houston’s Peter Lambert took the loss, falling to 8-6 on the season. He pitched 5.0 innings, giving up five hits and two earned runs while striking out three batters and issuing three walks.

Relievers Enyel De Los Santos and Bryan King combined to pitch 3.0 innings for Houston. De Los Santos was perfect, throwing 2.0 scoreless innings with two strikeouts and no walks or hits allowed. Bryan King pitched 1.0 inning, striking out none but issuing one walk.

For San Diego, Jeremiah Estrada pitched 0.2 innings, striking out two batters with one hit and one walk allowed. Adrian Morejon pitched 1.1 innings, also striking out two batters with no hits allowed but issuing one walk. Both relievers earned the save, with Estrada improving to 10 saves and Morejon to 18 saves.

Mason Miller closed the game, pitching 1.0 inning with one hit and one earned run allowed. He struck out one batter and earned his 29th save of the season.

Final Result

The San Diego Padres defeated the Houston Astros 3-2 at Petco Park in San Diego, California. The attendance was 41,937. The game was played on Saturday, August 8, 2026.

With the win, the Padres improved their record to 61-57. The Astros fell to 60-58.

Sources

https://www.espn.com/mlb/game/_/gameId/401816451

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Owen Iverson

Owen Iverson covers Dallas high school and area college sports.

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