Margot homers twice in Padres’ 7-6 win over visiting Giants
With the help of rookie center fielder Manuel Margot and veteran Yangervis Solarte, the San Diego Padres edged the visiting San Francisco Giants in spectacular fashion to earn the 7-6 victory in their home opener.
The Giants followed the opening pitch with a head of steam, as second baseman Joe Panik took six pitches before knocking a line drive to the left of second base. He stretched the hit into a double to first put Padres pitcher Luis Perdomo on his heels.
Seemingly startled from Panik’s early success, Perdomo watched Giants left fielder Aaron Hill take his second pitch deep to left field to move Panik to third base on a sac fly. Perdomo was then called for a balk just seconds later, allowing Panik to stroll across home plate for the relatively uneventful first score of the day.
To Perdomo’s aid, Margot sent Giants’ Matt Cain’s pitch deep into a sellout crowd of 43,441 fans for his first career home run officially estimated at 401 feet to tie the contest at 1-1.
Margot wasn’t done, either.
The Dominican Republic native hit another solo home run on Cain at the top of the third inning to put the Padres up 2-1 and the San Diego supporters in attendance to their feet. Margot's two home runs were his only two hits of the day, as he finished with two hits, two homers and two RBIs.
Riding Margot’s momentum, Padres second baseman Yangervis Solarte hit a line drive just above the mound to send San Diego first baseman Wil Myers in from second base for the score, increasing the Padres’ lead to 3-1.
Myers doubled to left to get on base just before Solarte stepped into the batter’s box. He finished the outing with two hits and two runs on five at bats.
The Padres’ scoring barrage was put on hold until the bottom of the fifth inning, as Solarte knocked the dust off the scoreboard with his second RBI of the contest. He brought in Padres' Travis Jankowski in across home plate with a choppy single over the middle.
Jankowski began his trek across all four bags with a hard single to right field. He then stole second base on the following pitch and later reached third on a groundout from Myers. He went one for three on the day with two runs.
San Diego’s Ryan Schimpf walked on the following at bat and outfielder Hunter Renfroe reached first base on an error from Giants third baseman Eduardo Nuñez, loading the bases and ending Cain’s day on the mound.
Replacing Cain, Giants reliever Cody Gearrin kept the game from getting out of hand, pitching Padres catcher Austin Hedges into a double play to end the inning.
Cain finished the contest having allowed six hits, two home runs and an 8.31 ERA in 4 and 1/3 innings. He also recorded 45 strikes on 84 pitches.
Perdomo, on the other hand, pushed past his early nerves over the next four innings, as he allowed just two hits and recorded two strikeouts through the fifth inning. He, however, landed back on his heels at the top of the sixth inning.
Giants’ Conor Gillaspie and Panik both got on base to start the inning with a single and double, respectively. Perdomo then walked Hill to load the bases, forcing Hedges and company to Perdomo’s side to attempt to settle his nerves.
The visit to the mound didn’t do enough to cool the Giants’ bats.
Giants first baseman Brandon Belt ended Perdomo’s day with his first career grand slam on the following at-bat to put San Francisco up 5-4.
Perdomo finished the day having allowed seven hits, five runs, one walk and one home run in 5 and 1/3 innings.
The Padres’ offense again responded to Perdomo’s struggles, as Solarte picked up his fourth RBI with a double to deep center, knocking in both Jankowski and Myers to regain the lead. Solarte later scored on Hedges’ safetu squeeze to Giants reliever George Kontos to put San Diego up 7-5.
Belt attempted to claw the Giants back into the game at the top of the eighth inning with his second home run of the contest, but his solo shot wasn’t enough to keep the Padres from clinging to their 7-6 victory.
Padres' Brandon Mauerer sealed the Giants' fate in the top of the ninth, recording two strikeouts and, more importantly, the final three outs of the game.
The two National League West Rivals will return to Petco Park on Saturday to square off in the second game of the series. The Padres will feature right-hander Jhoulys Chacin on the mound. Madison Bumgarner will earn the nod for the Giants.
