A seven-run second inning was all the San Diego Padres needed, then they continued to add on in a comprehensive 11-1 win over the San Francisco Giants on Wednesday afternoon at Oracle Park.
Five players had RBIs, led by Fernando Tatis Jr.’s three, while Ramón Laureano had three hits and scored three runs as all nine Padres (69-52) starters had hits and seven scored runs. It completed a series sweep of the Giants (59-62), running the Brown and Gold’s streak of series wins to five while SF sunk to a season-low three games under .500.
"I've been really pleased the last week or so about the offense dictating the game," said manager Mike Shildt. "The last five games I feel like we've continued to pitch well, continued to play defense, continued to do all the little things that are required to help you in a ballgame, but the offense is really dictating and setting the tone and really taking over the game."
The early knockout punch landed thanks to a streak of five straight Padres reaching win one out in the second, kickstarted by Xander Bogaerts drawing a walk. Then a Ryan O’Hearn single and Laureano walk after a battling 10-pitch at bat loaded the bases.
Jake Cronenworth extended his on-base streak to 18 games as he looped a 1-2 pitch that bounced off second base and careened over the head of short stop Willy Adames into center field for a two-RBI single. A walk to Elias Díaz by Giants starter Kai-Wei Teng reloaded the bases.
Tatis then cracked an elevated sinker bounding through the middle for a two-RBI single, then Luis Arraez took the baton and hit a sacrifice fly to right field. Manny Machado would chase Lee with a lined double, stung into the left field corner that Tatis scored on after an error, then after Jackson Merrill welcomed reliever Spencer Bivens with a single. The SD third baseman came home on a passed ball to complete the early seven spot.
All told, the Padres five through eight batters were the powerhouse of the offense, as the quartet combined for eight hits, eight runs, five RBIs and four walks. Laureano added a two-run home run in the fifth inning, his 17th on the year, which followed back-to-back doubles by Bogaerts and O’Hearn.
"We had some (relievers) down last night that now are getting three days, guys who carried the mail last night that bring it home, (Adrian) Morejon, (Jason) Adam and (Robert) Suarez also that will be able to get their full two, and everybody rested and full bore," Shildt said of the importance of having the 10-run lead.
It gave plenty of breathing room for another strong start from Nick Pivetta, who went 6 ⅔ innings and did not allow a run until Jung Hoo Lee hit a triple and Christian Koss had a sacrifice fly to end his afternoon.
The San Diego starter earned his 12th win, allowing four hits and the one run while notching five strikeouts with one walk. It ran Pivetta’s streak to six-straight with six or more innings pitched and gave him 17 such starts on the season — he has won all three of his decisions of his four following losing starts.
"(Pivetta) did a lot of deeper counts but he made pitches when he had to and he got better as he went, which is a great trend," Shildt said. "I thought he kicked into gear about the fifth inning and started getting counts (and) balls going where he wanted them to, (his) breaking ball was a more quality strike. He competed well and did his part to keep it right there."
San Diego scored in double-figures for the sixth time this season and was the third straight game with 10 or more hits. The Friars have 11 games with 10-plus knocks since the All Star break.
With the win the Padres momentarily moved into a half-game lead in the NL West over the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Dodgers will look to avoid a series sweep at the hands of the Los Angeles Angels, with first pitch in Anaheim scheduled for 6:38 p.m.
Thursday is an off day for the Padres, before they begin a three-game series at Chavez Ravine. Starting pitchers are not yet available for either team for the 7:10 p.m. first pitch on Friday.
"We feel good, we always feel good regardless of who we play, so we're excited to go compete and clearly it's a series people are going to be paying attention to and we're just going to go play good, clean, fundamental Padre baseball," Shildt said.
This story was updated at 4:15 p.m.