After Padres sweep, Braves say fourth straight loss won't last
The San Diego Padres beat the Atlanta Braves 5-2 on Wednesday, June 24, 2026, completing a three-game sweep at Petco Park and handing Atlanta its fourth straight loss — the Braves' first four-game skid and ninth straight defeat at Petco Park. The final Padres score capped a series in which San Diego outscored the NL East leaders while Atlanta managed just eight runs. Manager Walt Weiss said the slump will not last, even as the division lead has shrunk to 4½ games.
Key Takeaways
- The Padres won 5-2 behind Ty France's homer and JP Sears' season-debut victory, sweeping the Braves at Petco Park.
- Atlanta has lost 10 of its past 13 games and nine straight at Petco Park since the 2024 NL Wild Card Series.
- Weiss blamed timing and a taxed bullpen but insisted the same roster that thrived early will rebound.
- Sears filled in after Lucas Giolito went on the IL, while Musgrove and Pivetta took rehab steps toward post-All-Star-break returns.
What was the final Padres score in the series finale?
San Diego defeated Atlanta 5-2 before 40,183 fans at Petco Park. France homered off Martín Pérez in the third for his ninth home run, added a sacrifice fly in the fourth, and doubled to start the sixth before scoring on Samad Taylor's two-run single. Xander Bogaerts delivered an RBI single in the fifth as the Padres stole three bases.
Atlanta's only offense came when Joey Bart hit a two-run homer in the sixth with Austin Riley aboard. Pérez (6-4) allowed three runs in four innings, ending a four-game winning streak. Sears (1-0) gave up two runs over 5⅔ innings, and Jason Adam notched his second save. See the ESPN game recap for full details.
Why are the Braves struggling after this Padres sweep?
Atlanta entered at 48-31 but has dropped four in a row for the first time this season. Its NL East lead has collapsed from 9½ games to 4½, and the Braves scored only eight runs across the three-game set. Weiss pointed to offensive and pitching woes hitting at once.
Atlanta is hitting .154 with runners in scoring position over the past 13 games and owns an MLB-worst .634 OPS in June, per MLB.com. Starters have completed six innings in just five of the past 25 games since May 26, leaving a shorthanded bullpen overworked after Tuesday's 10-inning loss.
Are the Braves confident this slump will end soon?
"We're down right now. We're struggling a little bit on both sides, with pitching and scoring runs. It's not going to last," Weiss told reporters. He framed the skid as bad timing, not a talent gap, and noted the clubhouse has winners who know how to bounce back after tough series.
The Braves take Thursday off before opening a three-game set at San Francisco on Friday, with Reynaldo López scheduled to start against the Giants.
What does the Padres sweep mean for San Diego's rotation?
San Diego improved to 42-37 and has won five of seven heading into a Dodgers weekend series, though Los Angeles still leads by nine games. Sears was recalled from Triple-A after Giolito landed on the 15-day IL with elbow inflammation, and his length was critical after a marathon bullpen effort the night before.
The San Diego Union-Tribune reported Musgrove threw off the front slope of the mound while Pivetta logged a light bullpen session, keeping both on track for post-All-Star-break returns. As teams lean on data-driven roster moves, the pitching chess match mirrors shifts we cover in Future Tech & AI Wonders.