Padres offense explodes in 16-1 win
Credit: AP Photo
Petco Park- San Diego, California
After a quiet end to the last series offensively, the San Diego Padres jumped all over the Seattle Mariners and starter Chris Flexen for eight runs in the first two innings.
The Padres ultimately settled on a season-high 16 runs in their 16-1 victory. It is also the most runs scored by the Padres at Petco Park since 2010 when they defeated the New York Mets 18-6 on May 31, 2010.
It all got started in the first inning with a leadoff home run from Trent Grisham to tie the game. San Diego never looked back. Four singles and a stolen base later, the Padres led 4-1.
“We did a great job tonight,” Eric Hosmer said. “They came out and put one up in the top of the first, and we did a good job answering and never looked back from there.”
Next inning, the Padres chased Flexen from the game after Fernando Tatis Jr. homered for the second game in-a-row, and Tommy Pham notched his third extra-base hit of the season with a two-out triple.
Pham’s triple made the lead 8-1, but it more importantly chased Flexen and forced Mariners’ manager Scott Servais to go deep into his bullpen.
No. 50 deserves a flip.#HungryForMore @tatis_jr pic.twitter.com/qpalKkuTjR
— San Diego Padres (@Padres) May 22, 2021
The patient approach from the Padres drove the pitch count up and forced Flexen to make some bad pitches. Working deep into the opposing bullpen is nothing new to the Padres, as they have done that in each of the past two series that they swept. The Mariners bullpen is also in a rough spot right now, as four of their relievers were placed on the COVID-19 list. Making the already depleted pen work early is an even greater bonus for the Padres.
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A high-powered offensive performance will win you a lot of games, but so will six innings of one-run ball from your starter. That is exactly what Chris Paddack delivered for San Diego as he continues to look better and better each time he steps on the mound. In Paddack’s three starts since returning from the injured list, he’s pitched 13 innings with 12 strikeouts while surrendering only two runs. His emergence gives San Diego that fourth trusted starter while Ryan Weathers and Dinelson Lamet work themselves back from their injuries.
Sitting 'em down.#HungryForMore pic.twitter.com/bZx9B1iruz
— San Diego Padres (@Padres) May 22, 2021
“I thought his fastball played well all night,” Padres had coach Jayce Tingler said. “In the third inning, his changeup started to drop. Once that changeup started to drop and he had the carry on the fastball, I thought he was able to play an up-down game.”
With Friday’s win and a loss from the San Francisco Giants, the Padres are now tied for first in the National League West with a 28-17 record. That mark is also good for the best record in baseball.
Lastly, Trent Grisham left the game early after the Padres gained a large lead. Tingler did not commit to saying that Grisham will be in the lineup Saturday, but he mentioned that the decision was precautionary.
"Lower half stuff," a heel bruise that Grisham is dealing with.
That's why he left.
— Jeff Sanders (@sdutSanders) May 22, 2021
Ryan Weathers will take the ball on Saturday against fellow southpaw Justus Sheffield. First pitch will be at 5:40 PT.
Dominic is a graduate of Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication, with a bachelor’s degree in Sports Journalism. He also is the producer and co-host of the “Padres EVT Podcast.”