The Padres held on for a 6-4 win over Seattle Saturday, as they pushed their winning streak to eight while taking over first place in the National League West.
They did it despite a late run by the Mariners, who scored one in the 8th inning and two in the 9th before Mark Melancon struck out the two batters he faced to end the threat.
The closer earned his Major League-leading 16th save in the process, while Craig Stammen notched the win after one scoreless inning of work.
Eric Hosmer drove in two runs while Fernando Tatis Jr. continued his hot hitting with two doubles and a walk. Tommy Pham added four walks in five plate appearances.
The Padres made their mark in a five-run 5th inning, taking advantage of three Mariner errors.
After Jorge Mateo opened the inning with a single, and took second on pinch hitter Joe Musgrove’s bunt, he stole third and scored on catcher Tom Murphy’s bad throw.
Pham walked and Jurickson Profar singled, but Jake Cronenworth struck out. The Mariners intentionally walked Tatis to get to Hosmer, who hit a line drive to left that cleared the bases after the Mariners committed two errors on the play, including another by Murphy.
Hosmer ended up on third, and he scored on an Austin Nola single to make it the score 6-1.
The Padres have not gone easy on the Mariners, hammering them 16-1 Friday. Cronenworth drove in five runs, and Tatis four. Tatis also recorded the 50th home run of his young career, becoming the first shortstop to achieve the feat so quickly in Major-League history.
With Saturday’s win, the Padres not only lead the San Francisco Giants and the Los Angeles Dodgers by one game in the NL West, they also hold the best record in baseball.
Manager Jayce Tingler though reminded everyone that it’s just May.
“It’s more important the way that we’re playing, we’re pitching, we’re playing defense, we’re running the bases well and we’re not punching,” he said.
They are nursing some aches and pains though. Manny Machado sat out Saturday with a sore right shoulder, as did Trent Grisham with a bruised heel, according to MLB.com.
Yu Darvish and Mariner Justin Dunn take the mound at 1:10 p.m. Sunday to conclude the what could be a perfect 9-0 Padre home stand.
