Peavy paves Padres’ path to victory
SEATTLE – It was nothing exceptional the way Jake Peavy saw it, just his usual arsenal of fastballs and changeups.
Yet for some reason, Peavy thrives against the Seattle Mariners.
Peavy pitched three-hit ball for seven shutout innings and matched a season high with 10 strikeouts, leading the San Diego Padres past Seattle 6-1 on Friday night for their eighth straight victory.
“I didn’t feel the best, but I’ll take it,” Peavy said. “I don’t classify it best or worst. Anytime this team wins on my day, I’m awfully proud of myself and the 24 other guys.”
The surging Padres, who lead the N.L. West at 26-16, improved to 17-3 in their last 20 games.
“We’re playing good defense and we’re pitching well,” said Brian Giles, who hit a two-RBI double. “That’s going to win you games. Even when you go through tough times, that’s going to eliminate those six- or seven-game losing streaks.”
As usual, the 23-year-old Peavy (4-0) was tough on Seattle. He walked only one and improved to 3-0 against the Mariners.
“It’s nothing,” he said. “I just happened to make good pitches on nights when they were the opposing team. They have a good offensive ballclub. You’ve got to be on your A-game to throw against them.”
Peavy has pitched 21 2/3 consecutive scoreless innings against Seattle.
“That was probably as dominating a pitching performance as we’ve seen all year,” Mariners manager Mike Hargrove said. “He throws strikes. Everything is firm. He’s got good stuff.”
Ramon Hernandez hit a solo homer off Ryan Franklin (2-5), and the Padres won despite collecting only four hits.
“Their pitching was good, too,” San Diego manager Bruce Bochy said. “We only got four hits, but we got the most out of them. There was some clutch hitting.”
Miguel Olivo hit a first-pitch homer leading off the eighth against reliever Dennys Reyes, breaking up the shutout bid. Akinori Otsuka finished the five-hitter.
The Mariners were hitless until Richie Sexson’s hard bouncer up the middle leading off the fifth. Bret Boone got Seattle’s second hit, an infield dribbler toward third that stayed fair.
Peavy recovered by striking out Raul Ibanez between Sexson and Boone, then fanning Jeremy Reed and Olivo to end the threat.
“I got in that one jam when Sexson and Boone led off the inning,” Peavy said. “I knew I had to be aggressive. Ibanez swings a good bat.”
Hernandez hit his fifth homer on a 1-2 pitch with two outs in the second. Right fielder Ichiro Suzuki leaped at the wall, but the ball dropped into the second row beyond his reach.
The Padres took a 3-0 lead in the fifth, scoring two runs with just one hit. Geoff Blum hit an RBI single to score Sean Burroughs, who drew a one-out walk. Khalil Greene, aboard after being hit by a pitch, scored on Dave Roberts’ sacrifice fly.
Suzuki made a highlight-reel catch for that out, snagging the ball backhanded while sprinting toward center.
“It’s like they have two center fielders,” Giles said.
San Diego made it 6-0 in a three-run seventh, highlighted by Giles’ two-run double off Matt Thornton with two outs.
Franklin worked 6 1/3 innings, allowing five runs and three hits. He had five strikeouts but hurt himself with five walks, losing for the fifth time in six decisions.
“They’re going good right now,” he said. “They aren’t swinging at those balls that are an inch or two off the plate.”
Notes
Seattle right-hander Jorge Campillo made his major league debut, working the ninth. … Ichiro Suzuki has played in 118 straight games dating to July 11, the seventh longest streak in the majors. Baltimore shortstop Miguel Tejada is first at 797 games, dating to June 2, 2000. … Jake Peavy is 6-2 in interleague games.
“Mariners catcher Dan Wilson had surgery to reconstruct the torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee. Doctors also discovered and repaired a small tear of the meniscus.
Rehabilitation is expected to take six to eight months. The 36-year-old Wilson was hurt May 4 while returning to first base after a fly ball against the Los Angeles Angels and went on the 60-day disabled list May 6.
Wilson was batting .185 with two RBIs in 10 games playing behind Miguel Olivo. The veteran has played in parts of 14 seasons, including 12 in Seattle.
“Former World Series MVP Pat Borders was back in Seattle’s clubhouse, where he’s become an off-and-on presence in recent years.
The 42-year-old veteran catcher rejoined the Mariners earlier this week in a trade with Milwaukee for cash. Seattle purchased his contract from Triple-A Tacoma and optioned backup catcher Rene Rivera to Double-A San Antonio.
In another move, left-hander Bobby Madritsch was transferred from the 15-day disabled list to the 60-day DL. He went on the DL on April 9, retroactive to April 7, with a strained throwing shoulder.
Seattle needed Borders because two other catchers, Wilson and Wiki Gonzalez, are out with injuries. Gonzalez went on the 15-day DL last weekend with a strained left hamstring.
Borders played in the Seattle organization for three seasons until being traded to Minnesota last Aug. 31. He joined the Brewers this spring.