SAN DIEGO (Interstat) — Randy Vásquez and two relievers combined on a two-hitter, and the San Diego Padres manufactured just enough offense to avoid a season-opening sweep, blanking the Detroit Tigers 3-0 on Saturday night at PETCO Park.

A crowd of 44,368 watched the Padres salvage the final game of the three-game series behind a dominant pitching performance that stifled a Detroit offense that had scored 13 runs in the first two contests.

The most important sequence of the game unfolded in the bottom of the third inning, breaking a scoreless deadlock and providing all the runs San Diego would need. With two outs and the bases empty, the Padres strung together three consecutive hits off Tigers starter Jack Flaherty. Freddy Fermin started it with a line-drive single, followed by another single from Jake Cronenworth. Fernando Tatis Jr. then delivered the key blow, lashing a sharp line drive to right field to score Fermin. Tatis Jr. promptly stole second base, and after a walk to Manny Machado loaded the bases, Flaherty issued another free pass to Jackson Merrill, forcing in Cronenworth for a 2-0 Padres lead.

That inning encapsulated the night for Detroit, which squandered its best scoring chance in the top of the first. Gleyber Torres walked and Colt Keith doubled him to third with one out, but Riley Greene grounded into a fielder’s choice that saw Torres thrown out at home, and Spencer Torkelson struck out to end the threat.

San Diego added an insurance run in the fifth. Cronenworth and Tatis Jr. drew walks, and Machado worked another to load the bases with one out. Merrill then grounded into a forceout at second, but Cronenworth scored on the play to make it 3-0.

That was more than enough support for Vásquez (1-0), who was brilliant in his season debut. The right-hander worked six scoreless innings, allowing only two hits—both by Keith, a double in the first and a single in the sixth. Vásquez walked three and struck out eight, effectively mixing his pitches to keep Tigers hitters off balance all night.

The Padres’ bullpen was flawless behind him. Kyle Hart struck out three in two perfect innings of relief. New closer Mason Miller, taking over the role after Robert Suarez departed in free agency, walked one and struck out two in a scoreless ninth to secure his first save of the season.

Detroit’s Flaherty (0-1) took the loss, charged with two runs on four hits over 4 1/3 innings. He walked four and struck out two. The Tigers’ bullpen, including scoreless outings from Connor Seabold, Will Vest and Brant Hurter, kept the game close, but the offense could not solve San Diego’s pitchers.

Keith was the lone bright spot for Detroit, going 2 for 3 with a walk. For San Diego, Ramón Laureano had a productive night from the leadoff spot, collecting three hits.

The victory improved the Padres’ record to 1-2, averting what would have been their first 0-3 start since 2018. The Tigers fell to 2-1 but head to Arizona for their next series having won their opening set on the road.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a 3-2 Tigers victory, and its ELO system gave San Diego a 57.7% probability to win. Detroit had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of -1.5. The total score of 3 went well under the over/under line of 8.

The Padres will open a three-game home series against the San Francisco Giants on Monday. The Tigers begin a three-game set at the Arizona Diamondbacks the same day.