Griffin Canning delivered five strong innings in his San Diego Padres debut, helping secure a 4-3 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Sunday afternoon at Petco Park. Xander Bogaerts' check-swing infield single in the eighth proved decisive after the Padres snapped a four-game losing streak. The win highlighted key contributions from Manny Machado and closer Mason Miller.
The Padres ended a four-game skid with a narrow 4-3 win over the White Sox at Petco Park. Xander Bogaerts' check-swing infield single in the eighth inning drove in the go-ahead run, breaking a tie and securing the victory for San Diego. The game snapped a frustrating stretch for the home team, which had dropped four straight contests prior to Sunday's action. The Padres have faced ongoing questions about their starting rotation this season, but Canning provided an encouraging answer in his debut. Acquired after an Achilles injury sidelined him last June, the right-hander worked five innings, allowing just one run on Drew Romo's solo home run in the third. He struck out seven White Sox hitters, including the final four he faced, on 73 pitches, with his changeup looking particularly sharp despite early command issues. Offensively, Manny Machado showed signs of heating up after a brief calf issue last week. He went 2-for-4 with a home run, boosting San Diego's lineup that has struggled from expected leaders like Fernando Tatis Jr. and Jackson Merrill. Tatis sat out Sunday still seeking his first homer of the season, while Merrill continues to slump. In the ninth, Mason Miller earned his Major League-leading 11th save. After a seeing-eye single and stolen base put the tying run in scoring position, he struck out Luisangel Acuña on three pitches to close it out. This performance followed a subpar series against the Cubs, signaling a potential return to form for the closer.