SAN DIEGO (Interstat) — The San Diego Padres relied on a pair of early runs and a dominant bullpen to shut out the visiting Athletics 2-0 on Saturday, May 23, 2026, at PETCO Park in front of 42,616 fans.

The game lasted 2 hours, 42 minutes and featured a pitchers’ duel in which the Padres managed only two hits but made them count. Athletics starter J.T. Ginn took the loss, falling to 2-3 on the season, while Padres right-hander Lucas Giolito earned his second win without a loss by working five innings of five-hit ball. Mason Miller recorded his 16th save with a scoreless ninth.

San Diego struck first in the bottom of the second inning. Jackson Merrill drew a leadoff walk and stole second base, his 10th steal of the year. After Ty France struck out, Freddy Fermin walked and Sung-Mun Song walked to load the bases. Fernando Tatis Jr. was hit by a pitch, forcing in Merrill for the game’s first run. Miguel Andujar grounded into a force out at home, and Gavin Sheets flied out to end the inning with the Padres leading 1-0.

The Padres added another run in the third. After Manny Machado struck out, Nick Castellanos walked. Merrill followed with a double to right field, sending Castellanos to third. Ty France then grounded out to shortstop, plating Castellanos to make it 2-0. That would be all the scoring the Padres would need.

Giolito allowed five hits and three walks while striking out five, but he worked out of trouble multiple times. The Athletics threatened in the first inning when Carlos Cortes singled and Nick Kurtz singled, putting runners at first and third with no outs. But Shea Langeliers flied out, Brent Rooker struck out and Tyler Soderstrom flied out to end the inning.

Oakland’s best chance came in the fourth. Rooker walked, Soderstrom walked and Henry Bolte walked, loading the bases with one out. Jeff McNeil grounded into a double play to snuff the rally. The Athletics also put a runner on in the eighth when Langeliers doubled with one out, but Rooker struck out and Soderstrom struck out looking.

The Padres’ bullpen was nearly untouchable. Jeremiah Estrada pitched a scoreless sixth, allowing no hits and striking out one. Jason Adam worked the seventh, giving up one hit but striking out three. Miller closed the game with a perfect ninth, striking out two.

For the Athletics, Cortes and Kurtz each had two hits, and Langeliers added a double. But went 0 for 8 with runners in scoring position and left seven men on base. The Padres managed only two hits — Merrill’s double and a seventh-inning single by Sheets — but walked seven times and stole one base.

The win improved San Diego’s record to 31-20, while the Athletics fell to 26-26. The two teams will meet again Sunday in the final game of the series. After that, the Athletics return home to face the Seattle Mariners in a three-game set beginning Monday, while the Padres will host the Philadelphia Phillies on Monday.

The loss snapped a modest two-game winning streak for the Athletics, who had taken three of four from the Los Angeles Angels earlier in the week. The Padres, meanwhile, bounced back from a 4-0 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday to win their second straight game.

The game’s most critical stretch came in the bottom of the second inning when the Padres loaded the bases with no outs on a walk, a walk and another walk after a stolen base. A hit-by-pitch brought home the first run, and though the Athletics escaped further damage, the early lead proved insurmountable given the way Giolito and the bullpen pitched. The Athletics stranded a runner at third with no outs in the first and failed to score despite loading the bases in the fourth, underscoring their inability to capitalize on opportunities.

Miller’s save was his 16th of the season, and he now ranks among the National League leaders in that category. Giolito, who signed with San Diego in the offseason, has been a steady presence in the rotation, posting a low ERA through his first several starts.

The Athletics have struggled away from home this season, but they had been competitive in recent series. Their offense, which averaged nearly six runs per game over the previous week, could not solve the Padres’ pitchers on Saturday. The Padres’ defense also contributed, turning two double plays that erased potential threats.

In the ninth, Miller needed only 11 pitches to retire the side, striking out Zack Gelof and Henry Bolte before inducing a groundout from McNeil. It was the final act of a game defined by pitching and missed opportunities.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Padres 6, Athletics 4, and Interstat’s ELO system gave the Padres a 61.60 percent probability to win. The Athletics were installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of minus-1.5, and the total score of 2 went over the over-under line of 7.5.