Cardinals blank Padres 3-0; benches clear after Contreras hit by pitch

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Masyn Winn drove in two runs, Willson Contreras had two hits and scored twice and the St. Louis Cardinals beat the San Diego Padres 3-0 on Friday night.

Miles Mikolas (6-7) pitched into the sixth inning, allowing seven hits but no runs to pick up just his second win since May 23. Ryan Helsley pitched the ninth for his 21st save.

Padres starter Nick Pivetta (10-3) sustained his first loss since May 11. The 32-year-old, who in his first year in San Diego and having a career year, gave up three runs on three hits in 6 1/3 innings.

The Padres had 11 hits and stranded nine in their fourth consecutive loss.

The Cardinals scored a run in the second without a hit. Contreras was hit by a fastball and barked at Pivetta as he went to first with catcher Elias Díaz walking between them.

Both benches and bullpens rushed onto the field but it quickly fizzled and the teams were given warnings.

Nolan Arenado reached on an error by Jake Cronenworth, a sacrifice bunt advanced the runners, and Yohel Pozo hit a grounder to shortstop Xander Bogaerts, who lost his balance and had to throw to first, allowing Contreras to score.

Winn's two-run double in the fourth extended the Cardinals lead to 3-0.

In the fourth inning with two on and no outs, San Diego's Gavin Sheets hit a fly to deep right. Jackson Merrill tagged and went to third. Bogaerts tried to go to second but Jordan Walker threw to the cutoff man and Bogaerts was easily out for a double play. Mikolas then struck out Cronenworth to escape the jam.

Contreras has been hit by a pitch a National League-leading 15 times this season.

Padres RHP Randy Vásquez (3-4, 3.73 ERA) square offs against Cardinals LHP Matthew Liberatore (6-7, 4.13) on Saturday.

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

St. Louis Cardinals' Willson Contreras, left, yells after being hit by a pitch from San Diego Padres starting pitcher Nick Pivetta as Padres catcher Elias Diaz, right, steps between the two during the second inning of a baseball game Friday, July 25, 2025, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

St. Louis Cardinals' Willson Contreras scores during the second inning of a baseball game against the San Diego Padres Friday, July 25, 2025, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

San Diego Padres' Xander Bogaerts, left, grounds out as St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Willson Contreras (40) handles the throws to end the top of the eighth inning of a baseball game Friday, July 25, 2025, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Miles Mikolas throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the San Diego Padres Friday, July 25, 2025, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

St. Louis Cardinals' Masyn Winn watches his two-run double during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the San Diego Padres Friday, July 25, 2025, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

MIAMI (AP) — Anfernee Simons scored 18 of his season-high 39 points in the fourth quarter, Jaylen Brown added 27 and the Boston Celtics trailed most of the way before rallying to beat the Miami Heat 119-114 on Thursday night.

Sam Hauser added 17 points for the Celtics, who outscored Miami 36-21 in the fourth quarter and won after facing as much as a 19-point deficit. It was their second-biggest comeback win of the season, after coming from 20 down to beat Indiana on Dec. 22.

Simons had the second highest-scoring game for a reserve this season — Utah's Brice Sensabaugh had 43 on Wednesday night in a loss to Chicago — and became the fourth Celtics player in the last 50 years to score at least 39 off the bench. The others: Larry Bird, Todd Day and Payton Pritchard.

Norman Powell scored 26 points for Miami, which got 22 points apiece from Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro. Andrew Wiggins added 16 for the Heat.

Simons had 11 consecutive Boston points in the fourth quarter to chip away at what was left of the Miami edge, and then Hauser got an open 3-pointer with 5:21 left to give the Celtics their first lead since the opening minute of the game.

The lead changed hands twice more, before Brown's 3-pointer with 4:05 remaining put Boston on top for good.

Miami started the game on a 28-9 run, putting the Celtics in a most unusual early position.

That 19-point margin — only about seven minutes into the game — matched the biggest first-quarter deficit the Celtics faced in a 304-game span since trailing Indiana by 20 early on in a game on Dec. 21, 2022. Boston also trailed Milwaukee by 19 in the first quarter on April 9, 2024.

The Heat played without starting point guard Davion Mitchell (left shoulder contusion) and sixth man Jaime Jaquez Jr. (left knee soreness).

Celtics: At Atlanta on Saturday night.

Heat: Host Oklahoma City on Saturday night.

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

Boston Celtics guard Anfernee Simons, center, is defended by Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo (13) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

Boston Celtics guard Anfernee Simons (4) comes under pressure from Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo (13) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

Boston Celtics guard Anfernee Simons (4) goes for the basket defended by Miami Heat center Kel'el Ware, obscured, during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

Miami Heat guard Norman Powell (24) reacts after making a shot during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Boston Celtics, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra watches from courtside during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Boston Celtics, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)