The Padres dropped their third in a row Tuesday as they embarked on a road trip in Seattle, managing just three hits in a 2-0 loss.
They couldn’t figure out Mariners starter Logan Gilbert, who struck out 12 Friars. He also held them to one hit, by Xander Bogaerts in the second, during seven innings of work.
That, however, wasn’t without a little help from centerfielder Julio Rodriguez, who kept Fernando Tatis Jr. in the park in the fourth, and in showboating fashion. After a leaping grab, he walked away from the outfield wall, seemingly dejected, before he smirked and casually opened his glove to reveal the ball.
“I don’t know that anybody’s been as unlucky as him here recently,” manager Bob Melvin said of Tatis being robbed.
Seattle threatened early and often on a bullpen night for the Padres starting with Nick Martinez. But they didn’t didn’t break through though until the fifth, against Scott Barlow and Ray Kerr.
Barlow, who replaced Martinez in the fourth, only faced two batters in the fifth, walking the second, Dylan Moore. Kerr came in and after loading the bases, on a pitch-clock violation, lost Cal Raleigh to force in Moore.
Moore tripled the next inning – just out of Trent Grisham’s reach – to drive in Seattle’s final run.
The quick two-game set against the Mariners falls just ahead of a three-week stretch of games in which they will face four teams in the National League wild-card chase, beginning with the Diamondbacks Friday after a travel day.
They play Arizona on consecutive weekends, the next time at home in the midst of a 10-game home stand.
One stark difference between the Padres and the teams they’re pursuing – all the others are at or over .500, though Arizona, which has dropped seven straight, fell to .500 after their loss to the Dodgers Tuesday.
Yu Darvish takes the mound to close out the Seattle series.
