Oneil Cruz's 9th-inning HR the only run in Pirates' defeat of Padres

Field Level Media|published: Wed 26th August, 24:27 2026

Aug 25, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates center fielder Oneil Cruz (15) hits a solo home run during the ninth inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images

Oneil Cruz lined a two-out solo homer in the top of the ninth inning Tuesday night and the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates blanked the San Diego Padres 1-0.

Cruz ripped a changeup from Mason Miller (4-2) 379 feet into the seats in right field for his 17th homer of the year. It was the first homer allowed by Miller since August 2025, when Arizona's Lourdes Gurriel Jr. took him yard.

Gregory Soto (6-4) pitched a 1-2-3 eighth inning to earn the win for Pittsburgh, which came into the series having lost 13 of its last 15 meetings against San Diego. Mason Montgomery pitched the ninth for his sixth save of the year, fanning Jackson Merrill with the potential tying run at second to end it.

Both starters pitched brilliantly but settled for no-decisions. Pittsburgh's Paul Skenes allowed just three hits in six innings, walking none and fanning four. San Diego's Michael King twirled seven innings, permitting five hits and two walks while whiffing seven.

The Pirates' best scoring chance against King came in the first. Spencer Horwitz stroked a first-pitch single to begin the game and Bryan Reynolds doubled him to third with one out. Oneil Cruz worked a two-out walk to fill the bases, but Jake Mangum chased a fastball well above the strike zone and struck out to squash the threat.

Fernando Tatis Jr. laced a leadoff double to the left-center field wall in the bottom of the first, but Skenes bore down. He fanned Jake Cronenworth, then induced pop-ups from Manny Machado and Ty France.

San Diego got a man into scoring position in the third when Xander Bogaerts singled and moved to second on Dustin Harris' sacrifice bunt. However, Skenes got a flyout from Tatis and a lineout from Cronenworth.

Harris singled to start the sixth and got to second on a one-out groundout by Cronenworth. But Skenes ended his night by inducing Machado's third popout of the game.

The Padres' lead for the National League's final wild-card spot dipped to one game with this result paired with the Arizona Diamondbacks' home defeat of the Chicago Cubs.

--Field Level Media