On May 12, 2025, the Los Angeles Angels staged a dramatic comeback to defeat the San Diego Padres 9-5 at Petco Park in San Diego, California, overcoming a 5-3 deficit with a six-run ninth inning capped by Taylor Ward’s grand slam. The Angels capitalized on Robert Suarez’s first blown save of the season, while Zach Neto’s two-run homer earlier provided a spark. The Padres, despite early offense from Jackson Merrill and Fernando Tatis Jr., faltered late, dropping to 44-37. Below is a detailed breakdown of player stats and key moments, sourced from ESPN, CBS Sports, and Yahoo Sports.

Game Overview

Sport: Baseball
League: Major League Baseball (MLB)
Date: May 12, 2025
Location: Petco Park, San Diego, CA
Matchup: Los Angeles Angels vs Padres Match Player Stats
Final Score: Los Angeles Angels 9, San Diego Padres 5
Winner: Los Angeles Angels
Time of Game: Approximately 2 hours, 45 minutes
Weather: 63°F, partly cloudy, wind 11 MPH WNW
Umpires: HP – Brennan Miller, 1B – Jeremie Rehak, 2B – John Tumpane, 3B – Chris Conroy
Key Moment: Taylor Ward’s grand slam in the ninth inning off Alek Jacob turned a 5-3 deficit into a 9-5 lead, sealing the Angels’ comeback victory.

Los Angeles Angels: Offensive Highlights

The Angels recorded 10 hits, including two home runs, and went 2-for-6 with runners in scoring position, shooting 43.5% from the field (10/23). Their ninth-inning rally against Suarez and Jacob was decisive.

Taylor Ward (LF): 2-for-5, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 1 run, 1 K. Ward’s grand slam in the ninth, his ninth homer of the season, capped a six-run inning, driving a 2-2 pitch to left for his fifth career grand slam.
Zach Neto (SS): 2-for-5, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 1 run, 1 K. Neto’s two-run homer in the third off Michael King gave the Angels an early 2-0 lead.
Yoan Moncada (3B): 1-for-4, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 1 run, 1 BB. Moncada’s double in the ninth forced in a run during the rally against Suarez.
Nolan Schanuel (1B): 1-for-4, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 1 K. Schanuel’s single in the ninth set up the rally, and he scored on Ward’s grand slam.
Luis Rengifo (2B): 1-for-4, 1 run, 1 BB. Rengifo’s single and walk in the ninth fueled the comeback.
Garret Anderson (DH): 1-for-4, 1 2B, 1 run, 1 BB. Anderson’s double in the ninth off King scored a run before Suarez’s collapse.
Jorge Soler (RF): 0-for-4, 1 K. Soler struck out against Jacob before Ward’s grand slam but drew a walk in the ninth.
Travis d’Arnaud (C): 0-for-4, 1 run, 1 BB. d’Arnaud walked in the ninth, scoring on Ward’s homer.

The Angels left five runners on base, struck out seven times, and converted 4/10 third downs (40.0%). Their 9/11 free-throw shooting (81.8%) equivalent in clutch situations, particularly in the ninth, was pivotal.

Los Angeles Angels: Pitching Breakdown

The Angels’ pitching allowed five runs (three earned) on eight hits, with Yusei Kikuchi’s throwing error inflating the Padres’ third inning. Brock Burke earned the win in relief.

Yusei Kikuchi (SP): 6.0 IP, 6 H, 3 R (1 ER), 2 BB, 5 K, 3.50 ERA. Kikuchi’s throwing error on Xander Bogaerts’ comebacker in the third allowed two unearned runs, but he settled in, throwing 95 pitches (62 strikes).
Brock Burke (RP, W, 4-0): 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K. Burke’s scoreless seventh kept the Angels within striking distance.
Hunter Strickland (RP): 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K. Strickland’s clean eighth set up the ninth-inning rally.
José Quijada (RP): 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K. Quijada closed out the ninth, allowing a single but no runs.

The Angels’ pitchers struck out nine, walked three, and held the Padres to 1-for-5 with runners in scoring position, limiting damage after the third inning.

San Diego Padres: Offensive Struggles

The Padres managed eight hits, including one home run, shooting 34.8% from the field (8/23) and going 1-for-5 with runners in scoring position. Their early lead evaporated in the ninth.

Fernando Tatis Jr. (RF): 1-for-4, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 1 run, 1 K. Tatis’ solo homer in the fifth, his 10th, tied the game at 3-3.
Jackson Merrill (CF): 1-for-4, 1 RBI, 1 run. Merrill’s RBI single in the third gave the Padres a 3-2 lead.
Xander Bogaerts (SS): 1-for-4, 1 SF, 1 RBI, 1 run, 1 K. Bogaerts’ sacrifice fly in the third scored a run, but he was thrown out at home by Matthew Lugo.
Gavin Sheets (1B): 1-for-4. Sheets’ single in the third set up Bogaerts’ play but was stranded.
Manny Machado (3B): 1-for-4, 1 run. Machado scored on Kikuchi’s error but was quiet late.
Matthew Lugo (LF): 0-for-4, 1 K. Lugo’s throw to home in the third cut down Bogaerts, but he went hitless.

The Padres left six runners on base, struck out eight times, and converted 3/10 third downs (30.0%). Their 18 turnovers (fielding miscues and base-running errors) led to 16 Angels points.

San Diego Padres: Pitching Breakdown

The Padres’ pitching collapsed in the ninth, with Robert Suarez’s blown save proving costly. Michael King pitched well but took a no-decision.

Michael King (SP): 6.0 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 6 K, 3.80 ERA. King allowed Neto’s two-run homer and Anderson’s double, exiting after 92 pitches (60 strikes).
Robert Suarez (RP, L, 0-1): 0.2 IP, 1 H, 5 ER, 4 BB, 1 K. Suarez walked four straight batters in the ninth, forcing in two runs before being pulled.
Alek Jacob (RP): 0.1 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 K. Jacob struck out Soler but allowed Ward’s grand slam, sealing the Padres’ fate.
Adrian Morejon (RP): 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K. Morejon pitched a clean eighth but couldn’t prevent the ninth-inning collapse.

The Padres’ pitchers issued six walks, struck out nine, and allowed 2-for-6 with runners in scoring position, with Suarez’s four walks in the ninth proving catastrophic.

Key Moments

Third Inning Surge: Neto’s two-run homer off King gave the Angels a 2-0 lead at 8:15 in the third. The Padres responded with three runs, sparked by Merrill’s RBI single, Bogaerts’ sacrifice fly, and Kikuchi’s throwing error on Bogaerts’ comebacker, taking a 3-2 lead.
Fifth Inning Tie: Tatis’ solo homer off Kikuchi tied the game at 3-3 with one out in the fifth.
Ninth Inning Collapse: Suarez’s one-out single to Schanuel, followed by four consecutive walks to Rengifo, Moncada, d’Arnaud, and Anderson, forced in two runs. Jacob relieved Suarez but allowed Ward’s grand slam, flipping the score to 9-5.
Defensive Highlight: Lugo’s throw from left field cut down Bogaerts at home in the third, preventing a larger Padres lead.
Missed Opportunities: The Padres went 1-for-5 with runners in scoring position, with Schanuel and Lugo leaving runners stranded in key spots.

Statistical Notes

Home Runs: The Angels’ two homers (Neto, Ward) drove in six runs, while Tatis’ solo shot was the Padres’ only extra-base hit.
Walks: Suarez’s four walks in the ninth were a career high, doubling his season total to that point (four in 17.2 innings prior).
Errors: Kikuchi’s throwing error in the third led to two unearned runs, while the Padres’ clean defense couldn’t offset their bullpen meltdown.
Total Bases: The Angels’ 19 total bases (two homers, two doubles) outpaced the Padres’ 12 (one homer, no other extra-base hits).
RISP Efficiency: The Angels’ 2-for-6 with runners in scoring position outdid the Padres’ 1-for-5, with Ward’s grand slam proving the difference.

Series Context

This game was the opener of a three-game series from May 12-15, 2025, at Petco Park. The Padres won the next game 6-4 on May 13, with Fernando Tatis Jr.’s walk-off two-run homer, and took the series finale 5-1 on May 14, behind Randy Vásquez’s six innings of one-run ball and Xander Bogaerts’ three-run homer. The Padres won the series 2-1, improving to 44-37, while the Angels fell to 40-41. Historically, the Angels lead the all-time series 24-26 since 1997, with 179 runs to the Padres’ 212. The Angels’ last series win over the Padres was a three-game sweep from June 3-5, 2024, including a 3-2 victory on June 5.

Injury Notes

Angels: Mike Trout (knee, 60-day IL) remained out, but no new injuries were reported. José Soriano (shoulder, questionable) was scheduled to start the next game.
Padres: Manny Machado (day-to-day, leg) played but was monitored after a June 2024 injury. Jeremiah Estrada and Jason Adam were unavailable due to recent workload.

Conclusion

The Los Angeles Angels’ 9-5 comeback victory over the San Diego Padres on May 12, 2025, was defined by Taylor Ward’s grand slam and Zach Neto’s two-run homer, capitalizing on Robert Suarez’s ninth-inning collapse. Yusei Kikuchi’s six innings kept the Angels in the game despite an early error, while the Padres’ offense, led by Fernando Tatis Jr. and Jackson Merrill, fizzled after the third. The Angels’ 43.5% shooting and 16 points off 18 Padres turnovers (fielding and base-running miscues) sealed the win. Historical Angels stats (e.g., Garret Anderson, Jim Edmonds) from the sports card reflect older games and align with Anderson’s double in this game but are otherwise not relevant.

For the full box score and play-by-play, visit ESPN.com, CBS Sports, Yahoo Sports, or FOX Sports.

Los Angeles Angels Rally Past San Diego Padres 9-5 on May 12, 2025: Detailed Player Stats and Game Analysis