Castellanos hits tying homer in 9th and Machado delivers in 10th as Padres rally past Cardinals 3-2

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Nick Castellanos hit a tying, two-run homer with two outs in the ninth inning and Manny Machado delivered a sacrifice fly in the 10th to rally the San Diego Padres past the St. Louis Cardinals 3-2 on Sunday.

Walker Buehler pitched six solid innings for the Padres, who earned a split of the four-game series and pulled into a tie with the rival Los Angeles Dodgers atop the NL West.

Jordan Walker launched a two-run homer for St. Louis in the fourth. Kyle Leahy allowed only two hits in five shutout innings.

Xander Bogaerts singled against Cardinals closer Riley O'Brien leading off the ninth. O’Brien struck out the next two batters and got ahead 0-2 on Castellanos, who then worked the count full and drove the ninth pitch he saw, a 98 mph sinker, to left field for his second home run in his first season with San Diego.

Adrian Morejon (3-1) retired pinch-hitter José Fermín on a popup with two on to end the top of the 10th.

In the bottom half, the Padres loaded the bases against Gordon Graceffo (2-1) on an intentional walk to Jackson Merrill and a free pass to Fernando Tatis Jr. that moved automatic runner Ramón Laureano to third.

St. Louis brought in Fermín from left field to form a five-man infield, and Machado hit a 299-foot fly to right. Laureano scored with a headfirst slide ahead of Walker’s one-hop throw.

Cardinals: RHP Andre Pallante (3-3, 4.34 ERA) starts Tuesday’s series opener against the Athletics.

Padres: RHP Matt Waldron (1-1, 7.71) pitches Tuesday against the Milwaukee Brewers.

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San Diego Padres' Nick Castellanos, center, is doused by teammate Gavin Sheets after the Padres defeated the St. Louis Cardinals 3-2 in a baseball game Sunday, May 10, 2026, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

San Diego Padres' Nick Castellanos, left, slides in to score from third base off a walk off sacrifice fly by Manny Machado as St. Louis Cardinals catcher Pedro Pagés waits for the throw during the tenth inning of a baseball game Sunday, May 10, 2026, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

San Diego Padres' Manny Machado watches his walk off sacrifice fly during the tenth inning of a baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals Sunday, May 10, 2026, in San Diego. San Diego Padres' Nick Castellanos scored from third base on the play. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

Jordan Walker celebrates his two-run home run during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the San Diego Padres Sunday, May 10, 2026, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

San Diego Padres' Nick Castellanos, right, celebrates his two-run home run with teammate Xander Bogaerts (2) during the ninth inning of a baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals Sunday, May 10, 2026, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

San Diego Padres' Nick Castellanos hits a two-run home run during the ninth inning of a baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals Sunday, May 10, 2026, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

San Diego Padres' Nick Castellanos celebrates his two-run home run during the ninth inning of a baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals Sunday, May 10, 2026, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Playing on Mother’s Day for the first time since his mom’s death, Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Blake Perkins knew this was going to be an emotional afternoon.

Perkins shook off his season-long struggles and delivered a two-run single in the fourth inning for Milwaukee’s first hit of the day in a 4-3 victory that capped the Brewers’ first three-game sweep of the New York Yankees since 1989. Perkins produced a performance that could honor his mother, Carisa Sharrett, who died of colon cancer last July at 54.

“It’s been a lot of emotions for me today – mostly joy in just getting to play for my mom today,” Perkins said. “I have so many friends and family members back home who are supporting me. It was good. It was joy – a lot of joy.”

Perkins said he managed to remain focused on the task at hand once the game started, though he acknowledged the pregame Mother’s Day festivities brought out his emotions.

“I’m not saying it was bad emotions,” Perkins said. “It’s the first time, the first year, that I’ve celebrated this holiday without her. It was good. I felt her here with me, and obviously I have all the guys here who had my back. It was a good day – a good Brewers win.”

This has been a tough season for Perkins, part of Milwaukee’s NL Central championship teams each of the last three years. He was a Gold Glove finalist in 2024.

Perkins, 29, didn’t make the Brewers’ season-opening roster initially and got added only after a hand injury put outfielder Jackson Chourio on the injured list. Perkins struggled at the plate enough to get sent to the minors a week ago, though he got called back up Saturday after Brandon Lockridge went on the IL. He entered Sunday hitting .109.

Brewers manager Pat Murphy noted Perkins’ teammates have been encouraging him to get past this rough start. Equipment manager Jason Shawger already had the ball from Perkins’ big hit in a case for him shortly after Sunday’s game ended. The ball was sitting in Perkins’ locker during his postgame media session.

“He didn’t return as the starting center fielder. He was disappointed,” Murphy said. “He had a lot going on last season, a lot going on in the offseason. It’s just a matter of there’s some times we retreat in a way that isn’t in our best interest. That’s what happened. He wasn’t getting results. Even when he was performing well, he wasn’t getting results. It just kind of snowballed on him. And people that care about him told him, ‘Look. Let’s go. Clean it up.’ He’s a great human being.”

When Perkins rejoined the major league team Saturday, he said he wanted to do whatever he could to help the team. His opportunity came Sunday as Murphy put him in the starting lineup.

Milwaukee trailed 2-0 when it loaded the bases to start the fourth inning as Carlos Rodón walked two and hit a batter. The Brewers had cut the lead to 2-1 and had runners on second and third when Perkins hit a two-out liner that got just past second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr.’s dive attempt and went into center field to drive in two runs.

“I was looking middle of the plate, hoping he made a mistake, and I was able to get that mistake and hit it up the middle,” Perkins said. “I was talking to Jazz right after, and he said they literally had moved him like two steps over right before that pitch. It was just the best luck right there.”

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

Milwaukee Brewers' Blake Perkins hits a two-run double during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the New York Yankees, Sunday, May 10, 2026, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Jeffrey Phelps)