SAN DIEGO (AP) — Ryan Pepiot allowed just three hits in six innings and Brandon Lowe homered for the Tampa Bay Rays, who beat the San Diego Padres 4-1 on Saturday night for their season-best fourth straight win.

Pepiot (2-3) extended the Padres’ scoreless streak to 30 innings before Tyler Wade tripled to center leading off the sixth and scored on Fernando Tatis Jr.’s one-out single to center. Wade’s fly ball fell just in front of the glove of diving center fielder Chandler Simpson and rolled almost to the warning track. Gavin Sheets then grounded into a double play.

Pepiot struck out three and walked two. Four of the five runners he put on were erased on the basepaths. He and three relievers combined on a five-hitter, with Pete Fairbanks pitching the ninth for his fifth save.

The Padres avoided a third straight shutout. They hadn’t scored since the second inning of a 2-0 win at Detroit on Tuesday, and then lost 6-0 to the Tigers on Wednesday and 1-0 to the Rays on Friday night in the series opener.

San Diego’s longest scoreless innings streak was 37 from July 21-24, 1973. Their 2024 season ended with a 24-inning scoreless streak as the Los Angeles Dodgers rallied to win the National League Division Series en route to winning the World series.

Lowe hit an opposite-field homer to left with one out in the third off Dylan Cease (1-2). It was his fourth. Junior Caminero reached on shortstop Xander Bogaerts’ fielding error, stole second and scored on Christopher Morel’s double with two outs.

Cease allowed three runs, two earned, on six hits in 4 1/3 innings. He struck out six and walked four.

Key moment

Simpson leaped at the fence to rob Manny Machado of a home run leading off the seventh and pumped his right fist several times in celebration.

Key stat

Bogaerts has committed an error in two straight games.

Up next

Rays RHP Zack Littell (0-5, 5.28 ERA) and Padres RHP Randy Vásquez (1-2, 3.97) are scheduled to start Sunday’s series finale.

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The Buccaneers had an eventful three days as they searched for talent to enhance their roster for this season and beyond. Only time will reveal how effective their efforts were in improving the team. However, if recent trends are any indication, we can expect them to compete in the postseason once again.

Here is the link to our friends at Bucsreport.com where there are details on all of the Bucs additions. Also checkout all of the new players plus plenty of reactions from the BUCS YOUTUBE CHANNEL – CLICK HERE.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have selected Kansas State Defensive Back Jacob Parrish with the 84th pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.

Parrish brings elite speed (4.35 forty) and immediate special teams value, with potential to develop into a key defensive player. Despite being undersized, his refined press coverage skills let him disrupt receivers. He excels in transition and closing speed, shrinking throwing windows and contesting catches. With experience in man and zone coverage, Parrish offers defensive versatility, though he shines brighter in man coverage.

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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have selected EDGE Rusher David Walker from Central Arkansas with the 121st pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.

David Walker’s college career in Central Arkansas is a highlight reel: three-time First-Team All-American, three-time conference Defensive Player of the Year, and the 2024 Buck Buchanan Award winner as the top FCS defender.

His stats are staggering – 31 sacks and 63 tackles for loss in just three seasons. In his final year, he racked up 23 tackles for loss, 10.5 sacks, and 55 total pressures. Walker was a force to be reckoned with at Southern Arkansas, earning First-Team All-Great American Conference honors and leading the league in sacks and tackles for loss.

As a day two pick, Parrish has sub-package potential and needs strategic deployment to maximize strengths. His ball skills and route recognition hint at a higher ceiling than his physical attributes suggest. Expect him to contribute immediately on special teams and compete for nickel roles, with the technical foundation to become a starting-caliber defender by his second season. He’ll thrive against shifty, undersized receivers, using his mirroring skills and closing burst to neutralize their advantages.

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With their 121st pick in the 2025 Draft, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected the explosive David Walker , edge rusher from Central Arkansas. After bolstering the secondary in the previous rounds, Todd Bowles’ team has opted to give their front seven extra speed, energy, and production. David Walker as a reinforcement for the Buccaneers’ pass rush.

Walker comes to the NFL after a historic FCS career, where he was named the 2024 Defensive Player of the Year . His resume is impressive: 39 sacks, 82.5 tackles for loss, and six forced fumbles during his time at Central Arkansas. His ability to pressure the quarterback, stop the running game, and his tireless effort make him one of the most intriguing prospects on Day 3 of the Draft.

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GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Shedeur Sanders’ wait finally has ended.

The Cleveland Browns selected the Colorado quarterback and son of Hall of Famer Deion Sanders in the fifth round with the 144th overall pick in the NFL draft on Saturday. That ended a stunning fall for Sanders, the most recognizable player in this draft class after his attention-getting college career.

Draft forecasts generally rated Sanders behind only Miami’s Cam Ward — who went first overall to the Tennessee Titans — among quarterbacks in this class. Five quarterbacks were taken before him instead, with one of them going to Cleveland when the Browns picked Oregon’s Dillon Gabriel in the third round.

The uncertainty surrounding the Colorado star is the dominant story in this draft. Sanders didn’t get taken in the first round Thursday. Nor was he chosen in the second and third rounds Friday.

Sanders remained optimistic Saturday while providing an update on social media.

“Another day another opportunity to get a chance to play the game I love,” he said in an X post Saturday morning. “Thank you GOD #LEGENDARY.”

Sanders now is suddenly part of a crowded Browns quarterback room as Deshaun Watson sits out the upcoming season with a torn Achilles tendon. Sanders and Gabriel join Kenny Pickett and 40-year-old Joe Flacco.

But it’s hard to come up with a fall as steep as this one.

Sanders was one of the most recognizable names in college football the last couple of years while teaming up with 2024 Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter – taken second overall by Jacksonville – and playing for his father.

He finished eighth in the Heisman balloting last season while throwing for a school-record 4,134 yards and helping Colorado go 9-4. The Buffaloes had gone 4-8 in Sanders’ first season there in 2023 after he spent two years playing for his dad at Jackson State.

Most forecasts heading into the draft had Sanders going much sooner.

That’s now how it’s turned out.

The New York Giants traded up to get the 25th pick on Thursday but opted for Mississippi’s Jaxson Dart. Three other quarterbacks went Friday. New Orleans selected Louisville’s Tyler Shough in the second round. In the third round, Seattle chose Alabama’s Jalen Milroe and Cleveland took Gabriel.

One criticism of Sanders was the fact that he was sacked 94 times the last two seasons at Colorado. Concerns also arose about his arm strength. There also were worries about how he would adapt to playing for someone other than his father.

Earlier Saturday, some other familiar names got taken.

Cam Skattebo, the versatile running back who led Arizona State to a surprising College Football Playoff appearance, went in the fourth round to the New York Giants with the 105th overall pick. Tennessee running back Dylan Sampson, the 2024 Southeastern Conference offensive player of the year, went 126th to Indianapolis.

Three more players from Ohio State were selected in the fourth round, meaning 10 players from the reigning national champions have now been drafted. Linebacker Cody Simon went 115th to Arizona, safety Lathan Ransom 122nd to Carolina and edge rusher Jack Sawyer 123rd to Pittsburgh.

The final day of the draft also featured the trade of a quarterback, as Seattle sent Sam Howell and its fifth-round pick (No. 172 overall) to Minnesota for the Vikings’ fifth-round selection (No. 142). Seattle then used the No. 142 pick on Notre Dame defensive tackle Rylie Mills.

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