Paredes delivers tiebreaking RBI single in the 7th inning, lifting Astros to a 3-2 win over Padres

HOUSTON (AP) — Isaac Paredes hit a tiebreaking RBI single in the seventh inning after Christian Walker's two-run homer in the sixth tied it up, leading the Houston Astros to a 3-2 win over the San Diego Padres on Saturday night.

Paredes hit a bloop single to short center field with two outs off San Diego’s Jeremiah Estrada (0-1), who had allowed two hits in 10 1/3 innings before Saturday.

Walker, who was moved out of the cleanup spot for the first time after batting .159 through the first 19 games, homered on a 1-0 sweeper from Michael King with two outs, his second of the season.

Bryan Abreu worked a scoreless eighth inning and Josh Hader, on his bobblehead giveaway night, pitched a scoreless ninth and got former Padres teammate Yuli Gurriel to fly out to end the game. Tayler Scott (1-1) worked two innings of relief and earned the win.

Fernando Tatis Jr. hit his seventh homer of the season in the third inning. Manny Machado helped add to an early lead when he followed a Tatis single and stolen base with an RBI double in the fifth inning for the Padres, who lost back-to-back games for the second time this season.

Outfielder Tirso Ornelas, who signed with the Padres in 2016, made his major league debut. The 25-year-old Ornelas was called up from Triple-A El Paso where he was hitting .281. His journey to Houston was almost as trying as his climb to the big leagues. He had two flights canceled, delaying his arrival, and was inserted as a pinch hitter in the seventh inning and flied out.

Paredes’ RBI single in the seventh, which gave Houston the lead.

Houston has consecutive wins for the first time this season after beating the Padres 6-4 on Friday.

Houston LHP Framber Valdez (1-2, 4.50 ERA) opposes RHP Dylan Cease (1-1, 6.64 ERA) in the series finale on Sunday.

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Houston Astros relief pitcher Josh Hader (71) throws during the ninth inning of a baseball game against the San Diego Padres in Houston, Saturday, April 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

San Diego Padres' Yuli Gurriel flies out during the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Houston Astros in Houston, Saturday, April 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

San Diego Padres relief pitcher Jeremiah Estrada throws during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the San Diego Padres in Houston, Saturday, April 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Houston Astros right fielder Cam Smith (11) catches a fly ball hit by San Diego Padres' Yuli Gurriel during the ninth inning of a baseball game in Houston, Saturday, April 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Houston Astros' Christian Walker (8) celebrates with Paredes (15) after they both scored off of a home run hit by Walker during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the San Diego Padres in Houston, Saturday, April 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Houston Astros' Christian Walker (8) hits a home run during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the San Diego Padres in Houston, Saturday, April 19, 2025. Isaac Paredes also scored. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

WASHINGTON (AP) — Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Thursday that federal law enforcement is investigating a social media post made by former FBI Director James Comey that she and other Republicans suggest is a call for violence against President Donald Trump.

In an Instagram post, Comey wrote “cool shell formation on my beach walk” under a picture of seashells that appeared to form the shapes for “86 47.”

Numerous Trump administration officials, including Noem, said Comey was advocating for the assassination of Trump, the 47th president. “DHS and Secret Service is investigating this threat and will respond appropriately,” Noem wrote.

Merriam-Webster, the dictionary used by The Associated Press, says 86 is slang meaning “to throw out,” “to get rid of” or “to refuse service to.” It notes: “Among the most recent senses adopted is a logical extension of the previous ones, with the meaning of ‘to kill.’ We do not enter this sense, due to its relative recency and sparseness of use.”

The post has since been deleted. Comey subsequently wrote, “I posted earlier a picture of some shells I saw today on a beach walk, which I assumed were a political message. I didn’t realize some folks associate those numbers with violence.

“It never occurred to me,” Comey added, “but I oppose violence of any kind so I took the post down.”

Comey's original post sparked outrage among conservatives on social media, with Donald Trump Jr. accusing Comey of calling for his father’s killing.

Current FBI Director Kash Patel said he was aware of the post and was conferring with the Secret Service and its director.

James Blair, White House deputy chief of staff for legislative, political and public affairs, noted that the post came at a delicate time given that Trump is traveling in the Middle East.

“This is a Clarion Call from Jim Comey to terrorists & hostile regimes to kill the President of the United States as he travels in the Middle East,” Blair wrote on X.

Comey, who was FBI director from 2013 to 2017, was fired by Trump during the president's first term amid the bureau’s probe into allegations of ties between Russian officials and Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign. Comey wrote about his career in the best-selling memoir “A Higher Loyalty.”

He is now a crime fiction writer and is promoting his latest book, “FDR Drive,” which is being released on Tuesday.

President Donald Trump stands backdropped by an MQ-9 Reaper drone before addressing military personnel at the Al Udeid Air Base, Thursday, May 15, 2025, in Doha, Qatar. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)