FINAL: Tigers 4, Padres 3 taken at Petco Park (San Diego Padres)

Denis Poroy-Imagn Images

San Diego Padres starting pitcher Martin Perez (54) pitches during the first inning against the Detroit Tigers at Petco Park.

San Diego Padres

FINAL: Tigers 4, Padres 3

By Eric Evelhoch

Sep 5, 2024 • 7:40 pm

SAN DIEGO — After Wednesday's win in extra innings on the first career walk-off hit by Fernando Tatis Jr., the San Diego Padres are looking for their first ever series sweep against the Detroit Tigers.

The 6-5 win was the ninth walk-off of the season for the Padres (80-61), good for third most in the majors. It was also the 35th come-from-behind victory of the season, which is tied for fourth most in MLB. The Tigers (70-70) blew a 5-0 lead, which is the largest margin they have given up in any game this season.

Jackson Merrill will look to add to the new Padres rookie season RBI record (82) that he set last night with a 3-run home run in the fourth inning, surpassing Benito Santiago's previous record of 79 set in 1987. The home run was his 22nd of the season, which puts him four off Hunter Renfroe's club record of 26 set in 2017.

Detroit right fielder Matt Vierling is coming off his second straight multi-hit game and has had a knock in 11 of his last 13 games. The Tigers have played in 47 one-run games this season — tied for most in the majors with Pittsburgh and Seattle — and are 24-23 in those contests.

Martín Pérez (4-5, 4.71 ERA) will get the ball to make his seventh start for San Diego, while righty Casey Mize (2-6, 4.25 ERA) is Detroit's scheduled starter. The last eight games that Pérez has started have ended in wins for his team, with the first two coming in Pittsburgh and the last six in San Diego — in 2022 the Padres won the first eight starts by Joe Musgrove, who is the most recent Brown and Gold pitcher to go on such a streak.

First pitch is scheduled for 5:40 p.m. at Petco Park.