The San Diego Padres officially started their 2019 Cactus League season by defeating the Seattle Mariners 6-4 at the Peoria Sports Complex Saturday afternoon.
Seattle jumped out to a 1-0 lead as Shed Long took starting pitcher Bryan Mitchell deep on a leadoff solo shot off the batter's eye in center field to start the bottom of the first inning. Not a great start for Bryan Mitchell, who already has a short leash after a less than stellar season a year ago.
Mitchell was able to settle down as he finished the day allowing only that one run and only one more hit in his two innings of work. Mitchell also finished his Saturday with a strikeout, which came in the bottom of the second.
Speaking of the second inning, that was where the Padres bats and big run scoring for the game came to life! Jose Pirela started off the top of the second with an opposite field double to right field. Newly aquired Greg Garcia, who is from El Cajon and attended Valhalla High School, reached on a controversial infield single the following at-bat. San Diego State alum Ty France followed Garcia and after a wild pitch that scored Jose Pirela, was hit by a pitch, with the game now tied at 1. Long time veteran Allen Craig drove in the next run on a single to right that scored Garcia. After making an impressive catch in the bottom half of the first innning, Boog Powell was able to knock in France from third on a sacrifice fly. A couple batters later, Franchy Cordero scored Craig on a line drive single to left-center field to give the Padres a 4-1 lead.
BOOG!You can #HangAStar on this flying @Boogpowell15 catch -- #PadresST pic.twitter.com/RybZJNEenI
— San Diego Padres (@Padres)
February 23, 2019 The Mariners would add a couple runs in the bottom half of the fourth inning, but the Padres would answer in the fifth innning, thanks to an Esteban Quiroz single that drove in Edward Oliveras to give the Padres a 5-4 lead.
Before we wrap up #PadresST for the day, let’s watch Andy Green let @Mudcat55 call a steal back in the 3rd ----@Padres | @DonOrsillo pic.twitter.com/9HqpZkMBEX
— FOX Sports San Diego (@FOXSportsSD)
February 23, 2019 San Diego would then get an insurance run in the top of the sixth inning after Luis Torrens legged out a leadoff triple to get the inning started, and scored on a wild pitch.
Dietrich Enns would close it out for the Padres in the ninth inning to give San Diego their first win of the Spring in 2019.
Up top for the first #PadresST win of 2019! -- pic.twitter.com/V3DhbtPOpn
— San Diego Padres (@Padres)
February 23, 2019 Eric Yardley got the win for San Diego and Roenis Elias took the loss for the Mariners with Enns picking up a save.
Wins and losses cannot predict anything in spring training, but it is always nice to get the first win of the season. Eric Hosmer, Wil Myers and big free agent signing Manny Machado did not participate in today's game, so the next big question for Padres fans after aquiring Machado: when do we get to see him? Only a matter of time.
The Padres next game will be Monday at 12:10 pm against the Chicago White Sox, with coverage starting on 97.3 The Fan at noon.
