Luis Arraez had three run-scoring hits to lead the San Diego Padres to a 9-4 win over the host Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday night in the opener of a three-game series.

The Padres won their third game in a row and beat the Pirates for the seventh consecutive time after sweeping all six games between the teams in 2024.

Arraez and Gavin Sheets, who hit a home run and finished with three hits and two RBIs, each contributed in a three-run fifth inning that broke a 2-2 tie and put the Padres ahead for good.

Pittsburgh was led by Bryan Reynolds, who had two hits and an RBI, and Adam Frazier, whose solo home run cut the Padres’ lead to 5-4 in the bottom of the sixth. But San Diego relievers Jeremiah Estrada (1-1), Adrian Morejon and Ryan Bergert each fired a shutout inning to preserve the lead while the Padres added to it with three insurance runs in the eighth and one more in the ninth.

The Padres were given a scare in the top of the third when Fernando Tatis Jr. exited the game after being hit by a 93.3-mph sinker on the left forearm by Pirates starter Mitch Keller. But X-rays came back negative and Tatis Jr. was diagnosed with a contusion.

Keller (1-3) allowed five runs (four earned) on eight hits, including Sheets’ home run, while striking out three over five innings and 88 pitches.

The Pirates tied the game at 2 in the fourth inning when Padres starter Dylan Cease walked Alexander Canario with the bases loaded to force in a run. Cease closed out the frame by inducing Jared Triolo to fly out to center, but did not return to pitch the fifth.

Cease allowed two runs on three hits, three walks and 91 pitches, with three K’s. It was his fourth start this season in which he failed to get past the fifth inning.

–Field Level Media