Padres fall to 11-6 after pair of split-squad losses
Credit: Padres
Sloan Park- Mesa, AZ
In a game that was threatened by rain, pitching proved a beaming ray of sunshine for both sides. Cal Quantrill looked absolutely dominant, shutting down Chicago Cub hitters for three no-hit innings and three strikeouts, aided by a fantastic diving play by Wil Myers in right field.
Wil Flyin’ Myers ?♂️#HangAStar ? #PadresST pic.twitter.com/zwh9eI6kpS
— San Diego Padres (@Padres) March 12, 2020
The Padres ended up striking first in the fourth inning with a sac-fly from Gordan Beckham scoring Jake Cronenworth. Both teams’ pitchers held the offense at bay until the Cubs struck in the bottom of the seventh when P.J. Higgins hit a ground-rule double off of Chih-Wei Hu, scoring Daniel Descalso. Left fielder Jawuan Harris then misplayed a ball in the outfield, allowing both Alfonso Rivas and Higgins to cross the plate, giving the Cubs a 3-1 lead.
The Friars squeezed across a run in the 8th on a sac fly by Ty France, but it ultimately wasn’t enough as they came up short 3-2.
Peoria Stadium – Peoria, AZ
Not too far away, the other half of the Padres’ split-squad took on the Seattle Mariners. Padres hitters jumped on Marco Gonzalez in the bottom of the first, scoring on back-to-back singles by Eric Hosmer and Franchy Cordero. Dinelson Lamet was dazzling in four innings pitched, striking out three and only allowing a single hit to Daniel Vogelbach in the top of the 4th before Kyle Lewis ended the inning with a sharp liner to center.
Ace reliever Kirby Yates pitched a scoreless 5th and struck out one while allowing a triple to Austin Nola. Mackenzie Gore entered in the top of the 6th, and the wheels came off the tracks for the top prospect. Gore allowed a single, two four-pitch walks, and a bases-clearing double to Jose Marmolejos before being relieved by Luis Patino, who escaped the inning with a lineout from Nola.
San Diego failed to score in the bottom of the 7th, and the game was called due to heavy rain.
The loss in Mesa, along with the split-squad loss in Peoria, brings the Padres down to an 11-6 record for the Spring. The Padres take on the Cleveland Indians tomorrow at 1:05 PM with Zach Davies scheduled to take the mound.
Aaron is a college student who loves baseball, writing, and learning. The game has been with him ever since he first threw a ball at the age of three, and his love for it has only evolved since. He is married to his beautiful wife, Jessalyn, and they share their home with their cat, Louise, and their dog, Lexi.