Carlos Cortes, streaking Nick Kurtz help Athletics top Padres

Field Level Media|published: Sun 24th May, 19:48 2026

May 24, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; Athletics relief pitcher Justin Sterner (60) throws a pitch during the seventh inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: David Frerker-Imagn Images

Carlos Cortes led off Sunday's game with a homer and the visiting Athletics salvaged the last game of their weekend series against the San Diego Padres by posting a 5-2 victory.

Athletics star Nick Kurtz reached base three times on two hits and a walk to stretch his on-base streak to 47 games, one off the club's single-season record held by Mark McGwire (1996). Hall of Famer Jimmie Foxx (1932) also reached in 47 straight contests.

Six pitchers scattered nine hits for the Athletics, with bulk reliever Jacob Lopez (4-2) earning the win. Taking over after Luis Medina went the first 1 1/3 innings in his first start since 2024, Lopez gave up six hits and a run in 4 2/3 innings with a walk and three strikeouts.

Michael King (4-3) absorbed the loss, yielding four runs on five hits and four walks with four whiffs. The result marked just the second time in 12 games that the Athletics defeated San Diego.

Coming off seven shutout innings Monday night in a 1-0 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers, King found out early it wouldn't go as smoothly. Cortes golfed a low 0-2 changeup an estimated 380 feet to right-center for his fifth homer of the year.

The Athletics upped the advantage to 3-0 with a pair of runs in the second. Zack Gelof coaxed a one-out walk and scored when Henry Bolte drilled a two-out double to left. Alika Williams cashed in Bolte with an RBI single to left.

The margin grew to 4-0 in the fourth, thanks largely to King's wildness. After Jonah Heim doubled, Bolte and Jeff McNeil walked to load the bases, followed by a wild pitch from King that scored Heim.

San Diego managed to get back in the game with a run in the sixth and another one in the seventh. Manny Machado's sacrifice fly in the sixth plated Miguel Andujar, who led off with a double and reached third on a groundout.

Ty France pulled the Padres within 4-2 in the seventh on his fifth homer of the year, a one-out clout to right against Justin Sterner that flew an estimated 361 feet. But the Athletics added an insurance run in the ninth on an RBI single by Tyler Soderstrom.

Scott Barlow earned his first save by obtaining the last two outs.

--Field Level Media

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