Chris Paddack dominates, earns first MLB win
SAN DIEGO (AP) — Rookie Chris Paddack shut down baseball’s highest-scoring offense for his first victory, holding Seattle to one hit in seven innings and retiring his final 19 batters, nine by strikeout, as the San Diego Padres beat the AL West-leading Mariners 1-0 on Wednesday.
Paddack and relievers Trey Wingenter and Kirby Yates combined on a two-hitter.
Ian Kinsler homered off Felix Hernandez (1-2) and the Padres swept the two-game series. They’ve beaten the Mariners six straight times and won three straight overall following a six-game losing streak. The Mariners have lost three straight overall.
The Padres held MLB’s highest-scoring offense to three runs in two games and kept the Mariners from adding to their big league total of 56 home runs.
The 23-year-old Paddack (1-1), who lowered his ERA from 2.25 to 1.67, was brilliant in his fifth big league start. He got into and out of a bases-loaded jam in the first, when he issued at walk to leadoff batter Mitch Haniger, allowed a one-out single to left Domingo Santana and then hit Tim Beckham with a pitch with two outs.
After that it was lights out for Paddack, who struck out Dee Gordon to end the threat and start his run of retiring 19 straight. His nine strikeouts and seven innings were his most so far. He walked only one.
Paddack made the big league roster after an outstanding spring. He missed all of 2017 after having Tommy John surgery and pitched only 90 innings between Class A and AA last year.
Yates pitched the ninth for his 12th save in as many chances. He allowed a single to Daniel Vogelbach, who was erased in a game-ending double play.
Kinsler homered off the balcony on the second level of the Western Metal Supply Co. Building in the left field corner with two outs in the second, his second of the season.
Fernando Tatis Jr. extended his hitting streak to 12 games when his double fell in among three converging defenders in shallow left field in the third.
Hernandez pitched well other than allowing Kinsler’s homer. He held San Diego to one run and three hits in seven innings, struck out eight and walked one.
NEW HURLER
The Mariners acquired RHP Mike Wright from the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for minor league infielder Ryne Ogren. The 29-year-old Wright was designated for assignment by Baltimore on Sunday. He was 0-1 with one save in 10 relief appearances, with 14 strikeouts and seven walks.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Padres: Utility man Jose Pirela was placed on the 10-day injured list with a strained muscle in his left side, and San Diego recalled INF Ty France from Triple-A El Paso. France, who played at San Diego State, was named Pacific Coast League Player of the Week after piling up 16 hits, including seven home runs, 13 runs, 42 total bases and 17 RBIs in seven games.
UP NEXT
Mariners: LHP Marco Gonzales (4-0, 3.32 ERA) is scheduled to start Thursday night’s opener of a four-game home series against Texas, which is expected to counter with RHP Adrian Sampson (0-1, 5.50).
Padres: LHP Matt Strahm (0-2, 3.05) looks for his first win in his fifth start in the opener of a three-game road series Friday night at Washington, which will counter with RHP Max Scherzer (1-3, 4.45).
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