The Houston Astros managed just five hits in a 3-2 loss to the San Diego Padres on Saturday at Petco Park, trimming their American League West lead over the Texas Rangers to just a half-game. It was Houston’s fewest hits in a game since July 3.
Padres starter Michael King made sure of it. He held Houston in check across six innings, retiring 13 consecutive batters during one stretch, with Taylor Trammell‘s two-out solo homer in the second accounting for the only run against him. King’s only other blemish was a nine-pitch walk to Christian Walker in the fourth, but Daulton Varsho grounded into a double play one batter later.
Houston starter Peter Lambert made things difficult on himself early, walking two of his first four batters before Jackson Merrill’s flare fell in with the bases loaded. Cam Smith’s throw to second limited the damage to one run. Merrill added a solo homer in the third to make it 2-1, and the Padres scored what proved to be the decisive run in the fourth when Gavin Sheets reached, advanced twice on groundouts, and crossed the plate after Fernando Tatis Jr.’s chopper glanced off Jeremy Peña’s glove for an error. Lambert settled in from there, completing five innings while allowing three runs, two earned.
The bullpen did its job from there. Enyel De Los Santos worked two clean innings, and Bryan King followed with a scoreless eighth, keeping Houston within striking distance.
The Astros nearly broke through in the seventh. Walker singled, Smith walked, and San Diego summoned left-hander Adrian Morejon to face the left-handed Trammell. Houston countered with Yainer Diaz off the bench, and Diaz drew a walk to load the bases, but Jake Meyers struck out to leave all three runners stranded.
Houston mounted one final rally in the ninth against closer Mason Miller. Walker was hit by a pitch to begin the inning, and after two quick outs, Diaz singled home a run to cut the deficit to 3-2. LaMonte Wade Jr. came off the bench as Houston’s final hope but grounded out to end the game.
The loss dropped Houston to 60-58, though the Astros remain atop the AL West heading into Sunday’s series finale. Cristian Javier will be on the mound against a Padres starter who has not yet been announced. First pitch is scheduled for 7:20 p.m. Central on NBC and Peacock.
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