Rengifo, Tatis Jr. power Padres past MLB-best Brewers
Fernando Ramirez
Host · Writer
SAN DIEGO, Calif. — The San Diego Padres (64-57) might be one of the hottest teams in baseball after taking back-to-back series against the Houston Astros and Milwaukee Brewers (74-46).
During Tuesday night’s 11-2 victory, every player who started for the Padres recorded a hit, with San Diego collecting 14 hits before the seventh inning.
Milwaukee came into the series with the best record in baseball, while the Astros arrived in San Diego having won 12 of their previous 15 games. Both teams have struggled against the Padres’ offense.
Meanwhile, the Phillies lost 2-0 to the Cardinals, while the Diamondbacks lost 3-2 to the Rockies. That means San Diego is now in a three-way tie for the final two wild-card spots.
“No special secret, man,” Fernando Tatis Jr. said. “We just know what time of the year it is and we have cleaned it up as a team.”
San Diego is hitting its stride during the two most important months of the baseball season: the final stretch.
Padres starting pitcher Walker Buehler gave them everything they needed, going six innings while allowing three hits and one run and striking out five batters.
“He really threw the ball well tonight,” Padres manager Craig Stammen said. “Located his two steamer in on those lefties, handled the lefties. Better than he has maybe all year against left-handed hitters. So, just one of the best signs he's had as a Padre, and it's a good sign going forward.”
Denis Poroy-Imagn Images
Aug 11, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres starting pitcher Walker Buehler (10) delivers during the fifth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at Petco Park.
The Padres’ offense got to work in the bottom of the second inning when Jackson Merrill and Austin Hays singled to start the inning. Luis Campusano then grounded out, but both runners advanced to third and second. Jake Cronenworth followed with a double to left field that brought Merrill home for a 1-0 lead.
Tatis walked after an eight-pitch at-bat with a full count. He challenged what was initially called strike three, and the call was overturned to ball four. Former Brewer and current Padre Luis Rengifo then took the second pitch he saw deep for a grand slam to give San Diego a 5-0 lead. Since joining the Padres, Rengifo is batting .321 with an .880 OPS.
“I had never hit a grand slam in my career and the first one comes against Milwaukee,” Rengifo said in Spanish. “For me, it was very exciting, since I put the team in a winning position and that’s what we’re looking for.”
The Brewers threatened in the following inning after David Hamilton singled, Ji-hwan Bae was hit by a Buehler pitch and Brice Turang grounded out to move the runners to second and third. Jackson Chourio then grounded out to shortstop, but Hamilton scored to get Milwaukee on the board and cut the Padres’ lead to 5-1.
In the bottom of the fourth, Tatis took the first pitch of the inning and sent it to right field for his 12th home run of the season, extending the Padres’ lead to 6-1.
“I feel like it just comes with my human nature of playing baseball,” Tatis said. “I feel like I'm just grateful for those moments, and I appreciate them all the time. You know, (it) never gets old.”
Tatis passed Nate Colbert for the No. 2 spot on the Padres’ all-time home run leaderboard. Manny Machado is the current leader with 217, while Tatis is second with 164.
“Just the beautiful thing is like we got nine or eight more years of this,” Tatis said. “But who's counting? But man, that speaks volumes.”
Denis Poroy-Imagn Images
Aug 11, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres right fielder Fernando Tatis Jr. (23) is congratulated by third baseman Manny Machado (13) after hitting a solo home run during the fourth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at Petco Park.
The Padres continued scoring in the bottom of the fifth. After a Hays single, Campusano jumped on a sinker and sent it over the left-center-field wall for a two-run home run that extended San Diego’s lead to 8-1.
More runs came in the bottom of the sixth when Machado and Ty France reached base before Merrill doubled to right field to bring Machado home for a 9-1 lead. Hays then grounded out to third, but France scored to make it 10-1. Campusano followed with a single to left field that brought Merrill home for another run, increasing the lead to 11-1.
“Just playing good ball right now, and we got to continue,” Merrill said. “Go for the sweep tomorrow. Can't look back anymore. You got to just move forward and focus on the next game, so gotta win tomorrow. That's it.”
The Padres will finish the series against the Brewers on Wednesday at 1:10 p.m., when Dustin May (6-7) faces Robbie Ray (10-7).
