Through three innings, the Giants positioned themselves to at least salvage a series split. Verlander retired the first nine batters he faced, and rare shoddy defense from right fielder Fernando Tatis Jr. paved the way for San Francisco to take a 2-0 lead.

BOTTOM LINE: The San Diego Padres face the San Francisco Giants on Wednesday. San Diego has a 70-56 record overall and a 39-21 record at home. Padres hitters are batting a collective .251, which ranks fourth in the NL.

The San Diego Padres took the series over the San Francisco Giants on Thursday, winning three of four games despite playing the entire set without star centerfielder Jackson Merrill. The 22-year-old exited Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Dodgers early with a bone bruise in his left ankle, after initially tweaking it a couple of games prior.

Petco park erupted in boos after a security guard brutally tackled a San Diego Padres kid who ran out on the field.

The San Diego Padres will enter this weekend’s series against the Los Angeles Dodgers just as they entered last weekend’s series against their rivals -- fresh off three straight wins over the San Francisco Giants.

San Diego Padres right fielder Fernando Tatis Jr. made a sensational leaping catch to rob San Francisco’s Rafael Devers of a home run.