The Padres snatched a 5-4 walk-off thriller from the Red Sox on Saturday night, with Xander Bogaerts playing hero in front of the San Diego faithful. The veteran shortstop delivered the decisive blow—a two-run homer in the late innings—finishing 2-for-4 with two RBIs, while Ramon Laureano's clutch two-run single earlier in the game kept the Padres within striking distance. Boston's bullpen nearly held on, but Garrett Whitlock faltered in the final frame, allowing the winning run without recording an out. Alex Bregman (3-for-4) and Jarren Duran (2-for-4, RBI) led Boston's offense, but their late rally fell just short against San Diego's resilient relief corps, anchored by Jeremiah Estrada's five strikeouts over two dominant innings.

The victory marked a statement win for the Padres, who leaned on timely hitting and lockdown bullpen work to overcome an early deficit. For the Red Sox, the loss stings as another missed opportunity to capitalize on strong performances from their lineup—particularly Bregman, who continued his scorching August. With both teams jockeying for playoff positioning, this back-and-forth battle underscored the razor-thin margins that could define their postseason fates.