SAN DIEGO (AP) — Light-hitting catcher Freddy Fermin launched his first homer this season to lift the San Diego Padres over the New York Mets 3-2 on Saturday night, snapping a six-game losing streak.
Fermin was hitless in his previous 30 at-bats before his two-run shot off reliever Austin Warren (1-2) in the seventh inning.
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New York Mets pitcher Nolan McLean winds up against a San Diego Padres batter in the first inning of a baseball game Saturday, June 6, 2026, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Derrick Tuskan)
San Diego Padres' Mason Miller, right, celebrates with Freddy Fermin after the team defeated the New York Mets in a baseball game Saturday, June 6, 2026, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Derrick Tuskan)
San Diego Padres' Freddy Fermin, center, celebrates with Fernando Tatis Jr. after hitting a two-run home run against the New York Mets in the seventh inning of a baseball game Saturday, June 6, 2026, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Derrick Tuskan)
San Diego Padres' Freddy Fermin reacts after hitting a two-run home run against the New York Mets in the seventh inning of a baseball game Saturday, June 6, 2026, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Derrick Tuskan)
San Diego Padres' Freddy Fermin celebrates after hitting a two-run home run against the New York Mets in the seventh inning of a baseball game Saturday, June 6, 2026, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Derrick Tuskan)
That nullified a fine performance by Mets rookie Nolan McLean, who allowed one run on three hits and three walks in six innings.
New York had two on and one out in the eighth when Juan Soto scorched a line drive to second baseman Sung-Mun Song. He snagged it and then flipped the ball to shortstop Xander Bogaerts to double off Carson Benge at second base.
Bradgley Rodriguez (1-2) worked the seventh and got the win despite giving up Marcus Semien's tiebreaking solo homer. Mason Miller pitched a hitless ninth for his 18th save.
Padres starter Griffin Canning tossed five innings against his former team. He yielded one run and three hits with two walks and six strikeouts.
Semien broke a 1-all tie in the seventh when he sent Rodriguez’s first pitch over the left-field wall. Earlier in the game, Seimen snapped an 0-for-14 skid with a single.
The Padres squandered a chance in the fifth with shoddy baserunning. Song and Fernando Tatis Jr. singled, putting runners at the corners with two outs.
Tatis broke for second on a steal attempt, which drew a fake throw from Luis Torrens. The catcher then wheeled and fired to third, where Song had bit on the deception and was retired in a rundown.
San Diego manufactured a run to tie the score in the third. Song opened with a walk, stole second and scored when Tatis’ grounder up the middle ricocheted off second base into shallow right field for an RBI single.
The Mets took a 1-0 lead in the second on Brett Baty’s two-out RBI single.
Padres RHP Randy Vásquez (5-3, 3.31 ERA) starts Sunday in the series finale. RHP Huascar Brazobán (3-1, 2.25 ERA) will be New York's opener, with LHP Sean Manaea (0-1, 5.08) expected to pitch in bulk relief.
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New York Mets pitcher Nolan McLean winds up against a San Diego Padres batter in the first inning of a baseball game Saturday, June 6, 2026, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Derrick Tuskan)
San Diego Padres' Mason Miller, right, celebrates with Freddy Fermin after the team defeated the New York Mets in a baseball game Saturday, June 6, 2026, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Derrick Tuskan)
San Diego Padres' Freddy Fermin, center, celebrates with Fernando Tatis Jr. after hitting a two-run home run against the New York Mets in the seventh inning of a baseball game Saturday, June 6, 2026, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Derrick Tuskan)
San Diego Padres' Freddy Fermin reacts after hitting a two-run home run against the New York Mets in the seventh inning of a baseball game Saturday, June 6, 2026, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Derrick Tuskan)
San Diego Padres' Freddy Fermin celebrates after hitting a two-run home run against the New York Mets in the seventh inning of a baseball game Saturday, June 6, 2026, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Derrick Tuskan)
MADRID (AP) — Pope Leo XIV honored Spain's centuries-old tradition of religious devotion on Sunday as a “school of faith” for today, as he presided over a Mass before a million people and a procession highlighting one of the most iconic expressions of Spanish popular piety: flower carpets.
The crowd cheered and shouted “This is the youth of the pope!” as Leo arrived for the Mass at a central Madrid plaza. He looped around the plaza and surrounding streets in his popemobile to a crowd packed several rows deep of people eager to witness the first papal visit in 15 years.
Sunday’s Mass fell on the Catholic Corpus Domini feast day, which often features processions of faithful through towns and cities led by a priest carrying the Eucharist. In Spain as in other predominantly Catholic countries, the processions often feature elaborate floral carpets arranged along the route.
According to Spanish organizers, the 16 flower carpets decorating the half-kilometer (mile) procession route off Plaza Cibeles were prepared by a Spanish florists association from Galicia. Florists used more than 30,000 flowers, most the yellow and white colors of the Holy See flag, for the carpets that feature decorations such as the Holy See keys.
Leo, who arrived in Spain on Saturday at the start of his weeklong visit, has been keen to highlight the long tradition of Catholic devotion here to encourage especially young generations to find their faith.
In his homily Sunday, Leo honored Spain's tradition of the Corpus Domini processions, saying the floral carpets express the “spiritual sentiments of this country” through “altars erected in the streets.”
“This is not an exhibition, a remnant of folklore or a simple display of beauty,” he said. “It is a profession of faith in the presence of the risen Lord, who is alive and continues to walk among us.”
He said the continued observance of such devotional practices points to what Spain can and should be for the world.
“Herein lies the task of Spain today and in the future: to ensure that the religiosity which has shaped and defined this country for centuries is not a museum of the past to be visited, but a school of faith from which to draw even today,” he said.
At a vigil service Saturday night, an estimated 600,000 young Spaniards knelt for several minutes in silent prayer alongside Leo, suggesting that there is indeed interest among young people despite Spain’s heavily secularized society.
“Let me take the opportunity to tell all of you: Don't ever be afraid of thinking about a vocation to the priesthood or religious life, or other services in the church!” Leo told the crowd.
Irati Valda and Javier Hormazal, a young couple, held up a cardboard sign announcing they are going to get married on June 13 and were ushered up close to receive Leo's blessing during the vigil.
“To see so many young people together, it's incredible. Half a million people in silence, this is something you will only live once," Valda said.
For Sunday's Mass and procession, local organizers said 1.2 million people had turned out on a brilliant spring morning at the central plaza and surrounding streets, with more trying to get in.
The tradition of laying flower carpets — and destroying them when the procession tramples them — dates back two centuries and is popular also in Latin America, where elaborate sand designs are also made. The painstaking displays are considered an offering to the Eucharist.
Poland has already had its tradition of Corpus Domini flower carpets recognized by UNESCO, and Spain's Galicia region is trying to have its tradition listed along with other countries as part of the world’s intangible cultural heritage.
Wildly popular religious processions, pilgrimages and feasts continue to be held in most Spanish regions. The most recognizable are Holy Week processions during the final week of Lent where brotherhoods and robed penitents parade ornate statues of Christ and the Virgin Mary through cities, towns and villages alongside marching bands. Such processions draw the faithful as well as droves of non-believers and tourists.
Spanish towns and cities also regularly honor local patron saints with fiestas. Religious pilgrimages to local shrines mix piety with communal festivities and music. In Andalusia, the El Rocío pilgrimage fetches a million people that make a long, dusty journey over the Pentecost weekend on horseback and decorated covered wagons to venerate an icon of the Virgin Mary.
Leo arrived in Spain on Saturday and urged its people to put an end to polarization and work for unity. Later Sunday he is to meet privately with members of his Augustinian religious order and address cultural leaders.
AP visual journalist Helena Alves contributed.
Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.
Pope Leo XIV presides over a Mass marking the Catholic feast of Corpus Christi at Plaza de Cibeles in Madrid, Spain, Sunday, June 7, 2026, on the second day of his seven-day apostolic visit to mainland Spain and the Canary Islands. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Pope Leo XIV presides over a Mass marking the Catholic feast of Corpus Christi at Plaza de Cibeles in Madrid, Spain, Sunday, June 7, 2026, on the second day of his seven-day apostolic visit to mainland Spain and the Canary Islands. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Pope Leo XIV arrives in the popemobile at Plaza de Cibeles for a Holy Mass and Corpus Christi procession in Madrid, Spain, Sunday, June 7, 2026, on the second day of his seven-day apostolic visit to mainland Spain and the Canary Islands. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)
Pope Leo XIV presides over a Mass marking the Catholic feast of Corpus Christi at Plaza de Cibeles in Madrid, Spain, Sunday, June 7, 2026, on the second day of his seven-day apostolic visit to mainland Spain and the Canary Islands. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Pope Leo XIV arrives in the popemobile at Plaza de Lima in Madrid, Saturday, June 6, 2026, for a prayer vigil with young people on the first day of a seven-day apostolic journey to mainland Spain and the Canary Islands. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)
Pope Leo XIV is welcomed by Spain's King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia, as he arrives at the Royal Palace in Madrid, Saturday, June 6, 2026, on the first day of his seven-day apostolic journey to mainland Spain and the Canary Islands. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
People wait for the arrival of Pope Leo XIV ahead of a Holy Mass and Corpus Christi procession at Plaza de Cibeles in Madrid, Spain, Sunday, June 7, 2026, on the second day of his seven-day apostolic visit to mainland Spain and the Canary Islands. (AP Photo/Andrea Comas)
People wait for the arrival of Pope Leo XIV ahead of a Holy Mass and Corpus Christi procession at Plaza de Cibeles in Madrid, Spain, Sunday, June 7, 2026, on the second day of his seven-day apostolic visit to mainland Spain and the Canary Islands. (AP Photo/Andrea Comas)
People wait for the arrival of Pope Leo XIV ahead of a Holy Mass and Corpus Christi procession at Plaza de Cibeles in Madrid, Spain, Sunday, June 7, 2026, on the second day of his seven-day apostolic visit to mainland Spain and the Canary Islands. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
