Abigail Cavizo

     The San Diego Padres hold a special place in the hearts of San Diego natives. Beyond just baseball, the environment at Petco Park is contagious, exploding with energy as fans cheer on their team with unwavering passion. Even for those who may not be die-hard baseball aficionados, the ambiance of being at the game is infectious. Whether it’s the crack of the bat, the roar of the crowd or the breathtaking views of Downtown San Diego from the ballpark, Padres games are a “must go” at least once, as someone living in San Diego.

    Flashback to Monday, April 8: it’s the Torero Program Board’s chosen game day for USD students to attend and take part in the Padres experience. Before the game, Downtown San Diego was bumping — people on the streets wear the signature brown, yellow and special edition Padres jerseys. Game time was at 6:40 p.m., and tonight’s opponent was the Chicago Cubs. 

  Although USD senior Sean McAllister has lived in San Diego for the last four years, this was his first time attending a Padres game. 

  “I’ve never really followed baseball that closely, so that was actually my first time going to a Padres game. I have wanted to get out to one for a while now, and I’m glad I finally did. The game was a lot of fun and had a good atmosphere,” McAllister recalled. 

   In  the beginning, the Cubs were off to a good start. By the second inning, the Cubs scored four runs against Padres’ pitcher Yu Darvish. Darvish — who had pitched for the Cubs back in 2018-2020 — fought hard to keep the opposers down, but was taken out of the game by the third inning. 

    When the score was 8-0, with Chicago leading, San Diego made a comeback by the sixth inning. The Padres’ game-turning inning featured two-run homers by Jake Cronenworth and Xander Bogaerts, as well as a flurry of hits, walks and an error. Cubs’ right-hander Javier Assad, rattled by the Padres’ sudden surge, was relieved after allowing a leadoff walk (meaning that the pitcher threw at least four pitches) to Fernando Tatis Jr., followed by Cronenworth’s homer.

    Then, at the bottom of the eighth inning, Tatis blasted a two-run home run with two outs — which propelled the Padres ahead to a 9-8 victory over the Cubs. The field was electric, with Padres fans screaming cheers and high-fiving one another. This was the fourth time this year that Tatis has come in clutch for the Padres, by getting a hit in when the team was trailing behind the other. 

 USD senior Chris Schafer grew up in San Diego. For him, wins like these for his hometown team never gets old. 

   “As a San Diego native, I’ve been watching the Padres for my whole life. The team has been the only one to actually stay loyal to the city and as I’ve gotten older, I’ve grown to appreciate them more and more,” Schafer said. “The games are an absolute blast and I try to go to at least a few every season, especially now that I’m older and can enjoy downtown with friends before as well.”

   This game marked a major comeback for  the  San Diego Padres. Even for those who don’t keep up with baseball, it was a fun, high-energy environment. The Padres’ season is still going strong, and for those who want the full-out San Diego experience this season, tickets are a click away for as cheap as $15 in the nosebleeds of Petco Park. 

Cavizo attended a Padres game before the end of her USD experience. Abigail Cavizo/The USD Vista