WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- The San Diego Padres continued their strong start to the 2025 MLB season with a hard-fought 5-4 victory over the Oakland Athletics on Monday night at Sutter Health Park. The win improved the Padres' record to 9-2, the best in baseball, as they showcased their offensive firepower against a struggling Athletics team.
Jake Cronenworth ignited the Padres' offense early, hitting a two-run homer in the first inning. This was followed by a solo shot from Fernando Tatis Jr. in the seventh, which proved crucial in maintaining the lead. Meanwhile, Manny Machado contributed significantly with two RBI doubles, helping to set the stage for the Padres' success.
On the mound, Michael King (2-0) had a challenging outing, giving up three runs and eight hits over 5 2/3 innings. Despite the struggles, he managed to hold off the Athletics long enough to secure the win. Robert Suarez closed out the game with a perfect ninth inning, earning his fifth save of the season.
The Athletics, who have now lost four straight games at home, put up a valiant effort, led by Tyler Soderstrom, who hit two solo homers—one in the third and another in the seventh—to keep the game competitive. Soderstrom's six home runs this season are tied with New York Yankees star Aaron Judge for the most in the majors. His performance was a bright spot for an Athletics team that has faced difficulties early in the season.
"It was a tough start for us again, but we showed some fight tonight," said Soderstrom, who is quickly establishing himself as a key player for the Athletics. "We need to build on this and find a way to get some wins at home."
After falling behind 3-0 in the first inning, the Athletics began their comeback in the third. Soderstrom's homer put them on the board, and the rally continued in the fourth inning with back-to-back singles from Miguel Andujar and Jacob Wilson. Max Muncy's double brought Andujar home, and Lawrence Butler followed with an infield single that allowed Wilson to score, cutting the deficit to 4-3.
Despite the promising rally, the Athletics could not capitalize further, stranding runners on base and failing to tie the game. Luis Severino, who started for the Athletics, initially struggled, allowing four runs in the first four innings. However, he settled down and pitched effectively for the remainder of the game, finishing with seven innings pitched, eight hits allowed, and five earned runs.
"I didn’t start the way I wanted, but I managed to find my rhythm later on," Severino said. "It’s frustrating to keep falling behind, but we’re going to keep working to turn this around."
The Padres struck first, with successive doubles from Luis Arraez and Machado setting the tone early. Cronenworth's two-run homer followed, giving San Diego a commanding lead. The early runs were crucial as the Padres have shown a tendency to capitalize on their opponents' mistakes.
As the game progressed, the Athletics showed resilience. Soderstrom's second homer in the seventh inning brought the score to 5-4, reigniting hope for the home crowd. However, the Padres' bullpen, featuring strong performances from Adrián Morejón, Jeremiah Estrada, and Jason Adam, kept the Athletics at bay.
The game drew a crowd of 9,502, filling Sutter Health Park to just under three-quarters of its capacity. The atmosphere was lively, with fans eager to support their team in its new temporary home. However, the Athletics' struggles at home continued, as they are now 0-4 at Sutter Health Park.
"It’s not the start we envisioned for our new home, but we’re learning and getting better every game," said Athletics manager Mark Kotsay. "We have to find a way to get on the board early and maintain leads. That’s the key to winning games in this league."
The Padres will look to build on their success as they prepare for game two of the series on Tuesday night. Dylan Cease is set to take the mound for San Diego, while Jeffrey Springs will start for the Athletics. With both teams eager to establish momentum, fans can expect another exciting matchup.
As the season progresses, the Padres are showing signs of being a formidable contender in the National League, while the Athletics will need to find solutions quickly to avoid falling further behind in the AL West standings.
