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SAN DIEGO (AP) -- Jackson Merrill doubled, tripled, drove in a run and scored another to help Randy Vásquez reach 10 victories as the San Diego Padres beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 3-0 on Wednesday to avoid a three-game sweep.
The Padres remained in possession of the National League’s third wild-card spot, one game ahead of the Arizona Diamondbacks. San Diego has won 12 of 17 and 22 of 31.
Merrill doubled to right with one out in the second off Bubba Chandler and scored on Luis Rengifo’s single to right.
Manny Machado reached on third baseman Nick Gonzales’ throwing error with one out in the fourth and came around on Merrill’s triple to the right-field wall, sliding in headfirst and dragging his left hand across the plate.
Jake Cronenworth hit an RBI double in the eighth. Merrill drew an 11-pitch walk with two outs to load the bases before Jase Bowen flied out.
Vásquez retired his first nine batters before loading the bases with two outs in the fourth. He struck out Nick Gonzales to end it after catcher Freddy Fermin challenged a ball call that was overturned by the ABS system.
The right-hander held the Pirates to one hit in five innings, with two strikeouts and two walks. He has four wins and a no-decision in his last five starts. His previous high for victories in a season was six in 2025.
Griffin Canning got out of a bases-loaded jam in the seventh.
Bradgley Rodriguez pitched the final two innings for his second save. It was San Diego’s 10th shutout.
The Pirates stranded 10 runners and were 1 for 13 with runners in scoring position. They have been shut out 15 times this season.
Chandler (6-9) allowed two runs, one earned, and four hits in 5 2/3 innings. He struck out three and walked two.
Pirates RHP Jared Jones (2-5, 4.76 ERA) is scheduled to start Friday night in the opener of a three-game series at St. Louis.
GUARDIANS RALLY
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) -- Steven Kwan hit a tying double in the ninth inning, Travis Bazzana followed with a sacrifice fly and the Cleveland Guardians rallied past the Los Angeles Angels 4-3 on Wednesday for their seventh straight victory.
Hunter Gaddis (2-3) retired the final two batters in the eighth to earn the win. Erik Sabrowski worked a scoreless ninth for his second major league save and first since 2024.
With a runner on second, Sabrowski struck out pinch-hitter Travis d’Arnaud and got pinch-hitter Oswald Peraza to pop up to second as Cleveland completed a three-game sweep.
Chase DeLauter, slowed this week by left hamstring tightness, sparked the winning rally with a one-out single off reliever Ryan Watson (1-1) in the ninth.
Petey Halpin ran for DeLauter and went to second on Brayan Rocchio’s single. Kwan roped a ground-rule double to right field for a 3-all tie, and Bazzana’s sac fly sent the Angels to their 10th loss this season when leading after eight innings.
Los Angeles starter Grayson Rodriguez gave up one run and seven hits in 5 2/3 innings, striking out four and walking one. Guardians starter Joey Cantillo allowed two hits in six innings but issued a career-high seven walks and committed a first-inning error that led to a run.
Zach Neto led off the bottom of the first with a single and scored when Cantillo fielded Vaughn Grissom’s one-out dribbler and threw the ball into right field.
The Angels extended the lead to 3-0 in the second when Cantillo walked the bases loaded with one out, hit Neto with a pitch to force in a run, and Mike Trout added a sacrifice fly.
Cleveland cut it to 3-1 in the fifth when Rocchio doubled, went to third on Kwan’s groundout and scored on Bazzana’s sacrifice fly. The Guardians pulled to 3-2 in the eighth when Bazzana bunted for a single, Jo Adell walked and Nathaniel Lowe flared an RBI single to left-center.
Guardians RHP Tanner Bibee (5-13, 3.97 ERA) starts Friday night in Kansas City.