Rookie Simpson has 3 hits as the Rays sweep the Padres with a 4-2 win

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Rookie Chandler Simpson raced home to score the go-ahead run on a wild pitch in the fifth inning and had his first three-hit game for the Tampa Bay Rays, who beat the San Diego Padres 4-2 on Sunday for their first sweep of the season.

Simpson has hit safely in all eight games since he made his debut on April 19. He reached base four straight times — a walk and three singles — scored twice and had an RBI single.

The Rays extended their season-best win streak to five. The Padres were swept for the first time this season and have lost a season-high four straight games, in which they’ve scored only three runs.

Zack Littell (1-5) snapped his five-start losing streak by holding the Padres to two runs and five hits in five innings. Pete Fairbanks pitched the ninth for his second straight save and sixth overall.

Padres starter Randy Vásquez (1-3) retired the first two batters in the fifth before allowing singles to Simpson and Brandon Lowe. Simpson came sliding home headfirst, with his batting helmet flying off, on a wild pitch during Yandy Díaz’s at-bat to give the Rays a 3-2 lead

Tampa Bay Rays’ Chandler Simpson slides in to score from third base off a wild pitch during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the San Diego Padres Sunday, April 27, 2025, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

Simpson robbed Manny Machado of a home run in Saturday night’s 4-1 win.

The Padres took their first lead in four games with two outs in the second when Jose Iglesias singled in Xander Bogaerts, who had reached with a leadoff single off the glove of third baseman Junior Caminero.

The Rays jumped ahead 2-1 in the third on Taylor Walls’ first homer of the season, to right field with one out, and Brandon Lowe’s RBI single .

Key stat

Padres right fielder Fernando Tatis Jr. had his 21st career outfield assist when he threw out pinch-runner José Caballero on a one-hopper to Martín Maldonado to end the seventh. The Rays challenged but the call was upheld.

San Diego Padres second baseman Jose Iglesias, above, tossed the ball to shortstop Xander Bogaerts for the out at second base on Tampa Bay Rays’ Chandler Simpson, right, during the seventh inning of a baseball game Sunday, April 27, 2025, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

Key moment

Simpson’s third hit, an RBI single in the ninth that brought in former Padres outfielder Travis Jankowski.

Up next

Rays RHP Taj Bradley (2-1, 5.08 ERA) is scheduled to start Tuesday night at home against Kansas City. The Padres haven’t named a starter for Tuesday night’s home game against San Francisco.