May 21, 2007

The Padres didn't lack for chances yesterday. They had 11 hits, drew four walks and had two batters hit by Seattle pitchers – but scored only two runs. The Padres stranded 15 runners, including 10 in scoring position – both season highs for a nine-inning game.

The Padres also equaled their season high by striking out 14 times (including Mike Cameron, pictured left, in the eighth inning). Two of the strikeouts (Kevin Kouzmanoff and Russell Branyan, in the fifth) came with the bases loaded. The Padres were 0-for-3 with the bases loaded, dropping them to a majors-low 4-for-38 this season. Overall, they were 3-for-19 with runners in scoring position yesterday.

The game center | how they won (2-1), compiled by Bill Center

Heard it at the game: “The performance of the bullpen has been consistently great with an exclamation point behind that.” – manager Bud Black

In the top of the second ...

Adrian Gonzalez led off with a liner that one-hopped the fence in left-center for a double. After Khalil Greene struck out on a nasty curve by Felix Hernandez, Josh Bard went the other way with a 96-mph fastball, the ball reaching the left-field corner for a double that scored Gonzalez. But after hitting Kevin Kouzmanoff, Hernandez struck out Russell Branyan and Terrmel Sledge to end the inning.

In the bottom of the second ...

Justin Germano appeared to be in good shape when Bard threw out Adrian Beltre trying to steal second for the second out and Yuniesky Betancourt followed with a bouncer to short. But Greene threw wildly to first, although the play was ruled a single and an error. Jose Lopez followed with a line-drive single to right-center, tying the game. Jamie Burke followed with a single before Germano retired Willie Bloomquist on a grounder that Marcus Giles fielded behind the second-base bag to force Lopez.

In the third ...

Marcus Giles opened the inning by following Bard's lead and going the opposite way with Hernandez, doubling into the right-field corner. Giles advanced on a wild pitch before Hernandez struck out Jose Cruz Jr. and Mike Cameron. Then Hernandez lost command of his breaking ball. Gonzalez scored Giles on a single to center, Greene singled on a high-chop off home plate and Bard walked to fill the bases. But Kouzmanoff grounded to first to end the inning.

THE TURNING POINT

In the ninth ...

The Padres took a 2-1 lead into Trevor Hoffman's inning. But there was that uneasy feeling that goes with 15 stranded runners, including 10 in scoring position. And the clouds grew darker when Jose Guillen singled to center off the glove of a diving Greene and Ben Broussard singled to right, putting Mariners at first and second with none out. But Beltre popped out to first after failing to get down a sacrifice bunt, Betancourt flied to left and Lopez struck out meekly in his first-ever appearance against Hoffman.

BY THE NUMBERS

 »Next Story»