Cam Smith's two homer get Astros past Padres

Cam Smith homered twice Friday night and the visiting Houston Astros made it 13 wins in 16 games by doubling up the San Diego Padres 6-3.

Smith initiated scoring in the top of the second with his first solo homer, a liner into the left field seats, and then walloped his second homer to lead off the sixth. It was his 14th and 15th homers of the year and his second two-homer game in 2026.

Houston's bullpen carried the pitching load as five relievers combined for 4 1/3 scoreless innings. Ronel Blanco started and worked the first 4 2/3 innings, yielding four hits and three runs with three walks and a strikeout.

Bryan Abreu (4-3) got the win with 1 1/3 scoreless innings and closer Josh Hader notched his 16th save in as many chances.

Robbie Ray (10-7) lost in his first San Diego start, breaking a string of 12 straight starts in which he hadn't lost. Ray gave up seven hits and four runs in five innings, issuing five walks and fanning two.

Ray hinted at trouble after retiring the first two hitters on two pitches. Isaac Paredes doubled for the first of his three hits and Ray doled out two walks to fill the bases before Daulton Varsho lined out.

Ray's lack of command caught up to him after that. Christian Walker made it 3-0 Houston in the third by grounding a two-run single up the middle after a pair of walks sandwiching a Paredes hit loaded the bases.

Yordan Alvarez laced an RBI single in the top of the fourth for the Astros. The Padres finally reached Blanco for two runs in the fourth as Jackson Merrill laced a triple to the right field wall, then scored just ahead of a Gavin Sheets double play ball that ended the inning.

Fernando Tatis Jr. pulled San Diego within a run in the fifth with a two-out homer to the second level of the Western Metal Supply building in left, his 10th of the year.

Houston tacked on its final run in the eighth via Jeremy Pena's double play grounder that scored Smith prior to the inning's third out.

--Field Level Media