Padres’ Craig Stammen defines winning mindset as Jackson Merrill delivers in wild comeback

The San Diego Padres, under Craig Stammen’s leadership, continued their surge with another dramatic finish, rallying from a six‑run deficit to defeat the Seattle Mariners 7–6 at Petco Park. The win extended San Diego’s streak and once again highlighted Jackson Merrill, who delivered on both sides of the ball in a game defined by late‑inning belief.

“We try to tell the guys every day, it’s not ‘if’ we’re going to win, but it’s: ‘Who’s going to be the hero?’” manager Stammen said, according to MLB.com. “Tonight, it was Jackson.”

San Diego trailed by four runs entering the ninth inning but erupted for a five-run rally to complete the comeback. Merrill delivered the defining blow, lining a two-run double into the left-field corner to bring home both the tying and winning runs in front of an energized home crowd.

Merrill’s defense sparks early momentum

Merrill’s impact came long before the final swing. In the third inning, he robbed Julio Rodriguez of a home run with a leaping catch at the center-field wall, erasing what would have been a momentum-building moment for Seattle.

Despite falling behind 6-2 after five innings, the Padres remained composed, with Xander Bogaerts also contributing a milestone moment by hitting his 200th career home run to help fuel the comeback attempt.

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Padres’ late-game identity continues to grow

The rally began with patient at-bats and key baserunners reaching base in the ninth, setting the stage for San Diego’s explosive finish. The Padres have now repeatedly shown the ability to erase deficits late in games, a trend that has defined their recent stretch of success.

Stammen’s messaging around opportunity and belief has become a clear identity marker for the clubhouse. With momentum building, San Diego’s confidence in late-game situations is becoming one of its most defining strengths early in the season.