Padres' Nick Pivetta Shuts Out Nationals with 10 Strikeouts

Nick Pivetta delivered a dominant performance for the San Diego Padres, pitching seven shutout innings with three hits allowed and ten strikeouts in a 1-0 victory over the Washington Nationals. His precise command, mixing a lively four-seam fastball with a well-controlled breaking ball, kept the Nationals' top hitters off balance, including an impressive eight strikeouts against the lineup's top four batters. Luis Arraez provided the lone run with a two-out RBI single in the second inning, which proved sufficient as the Padres' bullpen secured the shutout. Pivetta's outing was especially crucial following an early exit by rookie starter Ryan Bergert the day before, reinforcing his role as a key contributor to a Padres pitching staff facing challenges. This marked Pivetta's fourth seven-inning shutout this season, improving his record to 8-2 with a 3.36 ERA. The Padres, who have led the league with 13 shutouts, showcased strong pitching depth despite recent lineup adjustments and injuries.