Padres blow 10-run lead after 5, lose 16-13 to Mariners
SAN DIEGO (AP) -- The San Diego Padres just can't get out of their own way.
Seemingly on their way to their second blowout win since their executive chairman ripped them in a radio interview, the Padres blew a 10-run lead after five innings and lost 16-13 to the Seattle Mariners on Thursday night.
The Mariners scored five runs in the sixth and then nine in the seventh, including seven straight singles with two outs.
"It's one of those things that's borderline inexplicable," rookie manager Andy Green said. "I've been around baseball a long time and you don't see teams come back from 10. It's just not something that happens very often.
"There were two of those innings, as a matter of fact, where we just weren't able to execute pitches. It wasn't where the defense was necessarily failing. They were all clean hits."
Trailing 12-2 after five, the Mariners benefited from a bullpen meltdown by the Padres. Kyle Seager hit a bases-loaded, two-run single with one out in the sixth to chase starter Colin Rea, followed by Dae-Ho Lee's impressive, pinch-hit, three-run homer off Brad Hand that landed in the second balcony of the Western Metal Supply Co. Building in the left-field corner.
The Mariners then sent 13 batters to the plate in the seventh. Seager once again had a big hit, a two-run single followed by an RBI single by Lee, who stayed in the game at first base.
Pinch-hitter Stefen Romero singled in the tying run, and Shawn O'Malley's RBI single gave the Mariners a 13-12 lead.
Norichika Aoki added an RBI single and Franklin Gutierrez had a two-run single to make it 16-12. Aoki had two hits and scored twice in the inning.
Hand and fellow relievers Ryan Buchter, Brandon Maurer and Matt Thornton combined to allow 10 runs on nine hits in 1 2/3 innings.
Maurer (0-2) gave up three runs while failing to get an out in the seventh.
"I think I was just trying to do too much out there and stop the bleeding and trying to make that perfect pitch and leaving the ball up," Maurer said. "It's tough. We let the guys down today."
In a radio interview Wednesday morning with flagship station the Mighty 1090, Padres executive chairman Ron Fowler called their recent performances "embarrassing" and "pathetic." Fowler was angry about a 1-7 road trip that included a 16-4 loss at Seattle on Tuesday.
The Padres responded with a 14-6 victory Wednesday night. They appeared to be heading for their second consecutive win before the bullpen flopped.
Cody Martin (1-0), called up earlier in the day from Triple-A Tacoma, pitched the sixth for the victory. Steve Cishek worked a scoreless ninth for his 13th save in 16 chances.
San Diego's Jon Jay had his first career five-hit game, one night after going 4 for 6. Jay, Wil Myers, Melvin Upton Jr. and Adam Rosales each drove in two runs. The Padres scored nine runs on 12 hits in 4 2/3 innings off Mariners starter Wade Miley.
Jay doubled and hit four singles in his first five at-bats, including RBI singles in the fourth and fifth.
The Padres sent 13 batters to the plate in the fifth, scoring seven runs on seven hits, two walks, a hit batsman and a balk by Miley. Myers and Upton each had a two-run single. Jay and Alexei Ramirez each had an RBI single.
Nelson Cruz hit a solo homer to right-center estimated at 445 feet with one out in the fourth, his 11th.
Lee, pinch-hitting for Adam Lind in the sixth, pulled the Mariners to 12-7 with his three-run homer.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Padres: An MRI revealed that RHP Cesar Vargas has a flexor strain. He'll be shut down for three weeks, Green said. Vargas was placed on the 15-day disabled list Sunday.
UP NEXT
Mariners: RHP Taijuan Walker (2-5, 3.31 ERA), who is 0-5 with a 4.91 ERA in his last six starts, is scheduled to pitch the opener of a three-game series at Texas. The Rangers will counter with RHP Yu Darvish (1-0, 1.80).
Padres: LHP Drew Pomeranz (4-5, 2.48) starts the opener of a three-game home series against Colorado and LHP Chris Rusin (1-3, 4.75).
