© Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports
SAN DIEGO — The San Francisco Giants enjoyed a 7-0 victory in their first of four games against the San Diego Padres on Thursday night, thanks to an utterly dominant pitching performance by Chris Stratton and an unrelenting offensive showing.
The Giants started the game with a three-run first inning. Evan Longoria came to the plate with one out and the bases loaded — Andrew McCutchen singled between walks from Joe Panik and Buster Posey. He hit a chopper right at the shortstop, but was able to beat out the double play for an RBI force out.
One batter later, Brandon Crawford worked the count full and the Padres thought they ended the inning when he appeared to go around on a checked swing.
They were so confident that he struck out that several of the players began trotting off the field; including starting pitcher Bryan Mitchell, who was practically at the right field foul line before the umpire ruled Crawford didn’t swing.
That call loaded the bases again and kept the inning alive for Hunter Pence, who hit a two-run single that put the Giants ahead 3-0.
That first inning was fun
#SFGiants pic.twitter.com/fxiIMEnqpB
— SFGiants (@SFGiants) April 13, 2018
The Giants threatened in the second and third, but were unable to score. Specifically in the third, the Padres were bailed out by a incredible double play that ended the inning without an damage.
Longoria ripped a leadoff single into centerfield and easily reached third on a hit-and-run play that a came about with a single from Crawford. After Pence struck out, Gregor Blanco popped out on a bunt to catcher Austin Hedges, who threw to first from the ground to double up Crawford at first.
Austin. Freaking. Hedges. #HangAStar https://t.co/Fx7xwfxKkS
— San Diego Padres (@Padres) April 13, 2018
As unusual as that double play was, it was even more unusual to see Clayton Richard, a pitcher, pinch-hit for Mitchell, Thursday’s starting pitcher. He turned out to be the first Padre to record a hit against Stratton.
That would be the only hit he’d allow.
Stratton pitched efficiently through the first three innings, but ran into trouble in the fifth and it took him 38 pitches to escape unscathed.
After allowing back-to-back walks with one out, Austin Hedges, who has two home runs this season, battled Stratton to a 12-pitch at-bat. In the end, Hedges flew out to right field and Stratton kept the Padres off the board.
Stratton went on to pitch another inning and finished his outing with only one hit and three walks allowed while striking out four. Not only was it Stratton’s first appearance at Petco Park, but it was the first time he’d pitched through the seventh inning in his career.
Although Stratton didn’t need any more run support after the three-run first inning, the Giants scored four runs in the sixth anyway.
Pence led off the inning and was initially called out on a groundout to the shortstop, but the call was overturned and laid the groundwork for the Giants’ monstrous inning. With the bases loaded, the Giants scored two runs thanks to an errant throw by third baseman Christian Villanueva. The others were doubled home by Buster Posey. Pence started the inning and finished it with a fly out to right field.
In his first day back with the major league club, Derek Law was the first out of the bullpen after being recalled as Andrew Suarez was optioned back down to Triple-A Sacramento. He finished the game with a pair of scoreless innings and two strikeouts.
The Giants continue their series with the Padres on Friday at 7:10 PM with Ty Blach pitching against Tyson Ross.
