SAN DIEGO (AP) — Cam Smith homered twice and the AL West-leading Houston Astros spoiled Robbie Ray's San Diego debut by beating the Padres 6-3 on Friday night for their eighth win in 10 games.
The Padres dropped two games behind the third NL wild-card spot.
Smith connected to left off Ray with one out in the second and off Yuki Matsui leading off the sixth, also to left. He has 15 home runs this season. It was the fourth career multi-homer game for
Smith, who had three hits. He also hit two homers against San Diego on April 18, 2025, in Houston in his 15th career game.
Christian Walker hit a two-run single in the third and Yordan Alvarez an RBI single in the fourth to give the Astros a 4-0 lead.
Ray (10-7) was obtained at the trade deadline on Monday from the San Francisco Giants. In his previous start, he beat the Padres 4-1 at Petco Park on July 30.
Ray recorded outs on each of his first two pitches but then loaded the bases on a double and consecutive walks. He then got Daulton Varsho to line out to center.
The left-hander allowed four runs and seven hits in five innings, walked five and struck out two.
Fernando Tatis Jr. homered, his 10th this season, to left with two outs in the fifth to pull the Padres to 4-3 and chase starter Ronel Blanco. With his 162nd career shot, Tatis passed Adrian Gonzalez for sole possession of third place on the Padres' all-time list. He needs two more to pass Nate Colbert for second.
Jackson Merrill hit an RBI triple in the fourth for the Padres and scored on a double play.
The Padres loaded the bases with two outs against two relievers in the seventh before Bryan Abreu (4-3) got Luis Rengifo to ground out.
Blanco pitched 4 2/3 innings and allowed three runs and four hits, with three walks and one strikeout in his fifth start since returning from right elbow surgery in June 2025.
Josh Hader pitched a perfect ninth for his 16th save.
Astros RHP Peter Lambert (8-5, 3.06 ERA) and Padres RHP Michael King (6-8, 3.45) are scheduled to start Saturday night.
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