Ty France

Gavin Sheets and Lucas Giolito lead the Padres past the Mariners 8-3 for season sweep

ANDREW DESTIN, AP Sports Writer

May 18, 2026


SEATTLE (AP) — Gavin Sheets homered twice and drove in four runs, Lucas Giolito won his San Diego debut and the Padres beat the Seattle Mariners 8-3 on Sunday to sweep their six-game season series.

Giolito, who signed a one-year contract with San Diego in April, was called up from Double-A San Antonio before the game to make his first start of the year. The veteran right-hander allowed only one hit, but was lifted after issuing three consecutive walks to begin Seattle's three-run sixth inning.

Giolito (1-0) was otherwise strong, aside from hitting Mariners shortstop J.P. Crawford in the right triceps with a fastball in the third. Crawford exited in the fifth and was replaced by Leo Rivas.

Sheets gave the Padres a 1-0 advantage with a homer to right field off George Kirby (5-3) in the first. The outfielder then pounced on a hanging changeup from Kirby in the sixth, smacking it into the right-field bleachers for a two-run shot. Sheets added an RBI double in the seventh and finished 3 for 3 with two walks.

San Diego scored five runs against Kirby in the sixth to break open the game. Jackson Merrill had an RBI double and Ty France plated a pair with a two-out single that made it 7-0.

France had three hits and three RBIs, including a run-scoring single in the fifth.

Mariners third baseman and top prospect Colt Emerson made his major league debut and reached base for the first time in the sixth with a leadoff walk against Giolito. Emerson, a natural shortstop, played a clean third base in place of utilityman Brendan Donovan, who landed on the 10-day injured list with a left groin strain.

Padres RHP Michael King (3-2, 2.63 ERA) faces Dodgers RHP Yoshinobu Yamamoto (3-3, 3.60) in San Diego on Monday night.

Mariners right-hander Bryan Woo (3-2, 3.91 ERA) starts Monday night against Chicago White Sox lefty Noah Schultz (2-2, 4.91).

___

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB

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MLB 2026 Pitching Leaders

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MLB 2026 Standings

NL EastWLPCTGB
45
24
.652
37
32
.536
8.0
35
35
.500
10.5
35
35
.500
10.5
31
38
.449
14.0
NL CentralWLPCTGB
42
25
.627
37
30
.552
5.0
36
34
.514
7.5
35
35
.500
8.5
32
36
.471
10.5
NL WestWLPCTGB
44
26
.629
35
33
.515
8.0
35
34
.507
8.5
28
42
.400
16.0
26
44
.371
18.0
AL EastWLPCTGB
40
26
.606
41
27
.603
34
36
.486
8.0
34
37
.479
8.5
28
39
.418
12.5
AL CentralWLPCTGB
37
31
.544
38
33
.535
0.5
32
39
.451
6.5
29
41
.414
9.0
28
42
.400
10.0
AL WestWLPCTGB
37
34
.521
34
35
.493
2.0
34
35
.493
2.0
32
39
.451
5.0
28
42
.400
8.5

MLB 2026 Scores & Schedule

Scores

DATEMATCHUPSCORE
Thu
5/28
@
7-1
Thu
5/28
@
10-2
Thu
5/28
@
7-2
Fri
5/29
@
8-3
Fri
5/29
@
7-5

Schedule

DATEMATCHUPTIME (ET)
Sat
6/13
@
2:10 PM
Sat
6/13
@
3:07 PM
Sat
6/13
@
4:05 PM
Sat
6/13
@
4:05 PM
Sat
6/13
@
4:05 PM