The Padres fell to 0-2 on the season after allowing 4 runs in the 8th inning to the Tigers on Friday night. Despite issuing four free passes, Michael King pitched well in his season debut, twirling five scoreless innings, before exiting in the 6th inning with a one run lead after issuing a leadoff walk. An unearned run would come around to score after an error by Manny Machado to tie the game at 1. Ramon Laureano would put the Padres back on top in the 6th inning with an RBI-double that brought home Jackson Merrill.
The 8th inning was when things got dicey for the Padres. After striking out Javy Baez to begin the inning, Jeremiah Estrada walked three straight batters to load the bases. Riley Greene then hit a tapper to shortstop that would have normally been an inning-ending double play, except Xander Bogaerts had been shifted over, which allowed the tying run to score. After striking out Spencer Torkelson, Estrada was lifted in favor of Wandy Peralta with the score tied, two outs and the bases loaded to face rookie Kevin McGonigle for the lefty on lefty matchup. The two battled, but McGonigle came out on top with a 2-run double following a ten pitch at-bat. . The Tigers would tack on another run and hang on for a 5-2 series-clinching win over the Padres.
