The San Diego Padres hit three home runs against Seattle as they made their big early lead hole up.
The San Diego Padres used a power surge that included three home runs to race out to a big lead against the Seattle Mariners, and Jeremiah Estrada subbed in for Mason Miller to get his first save of the year as the Padres outlasted the Mariners, 7-4.
The Padres got on the board first in the second inning on another home run by Gavin Sheets, with Sheets being one of the few Padres who has been consistently productive on offense.
Seattle starter Logan Gilbert struggled throughout in this one, and the Padres padded their lead with a four-run rally to take a 5-1 lead. The scoring started with back-to-back walks to Manny Machado and Sheets, followed by a single from Xander Bogaerts to load the bases. Miguel Andujar grounded out to get a run home, and Nick Castellanos unloaded with a three-run homer to give the Padres the comfortable 5-0 lead.
It didn’t last, however. Walker Butler has been a mixed bag as a starter, and the Mariners scored their first run of the game, with J.P. Walker adding another run in the fifth with a solo homer.
Buehler wound up ended up giving up two runs in five innings as he scattered five hits while striking out six. Manager Craig Stammen did well to get five innings out of him, and Wandy Peralta picked up Buehler with a quick scoreless sixth.
That set the Padres up for yet another home run in the seventh, but this one came from an unlikely source. Rodolfo Duran made his first big league hit a homer as he drove in Ramon Laureano after Laureano doubled.
The Padres bullpen was flawless in the this one, with one important exception. Alek Jacob gave up a quick run in the eighth to make it 7-3, and that forced Stammen to bring in Adrian Morejon to get San Diego out of a jam and limit the damage. Morejon got a ground out from Cole Young that drove in a second run that was Jacob’s responsibility, and that made the score 7-4 heading into the ninth.
Estrada subbed in for Miller with the Padres regular closer unavailable due to a four-out save last night, and Estrada got his first save of the year despite giving up a hit and a walk. The win gives the Padres a chance for the series sweep tomorrow, as they’ll send Lucas Giolito to the mound in his first save of the season for San Diego against George Kirby for the Mariners.