SAN DIEGO — Two runs already were in on Eric Hosmer’s bases-loaded single to left field in the fifth inning when Fernando Tatis Jr. came flying around third base and scored when Seattle catcher Tom Murphy couldn’t hold onto the throw for an error.
It’s the kind of aggressiveness the young superstar has become known for, and the kind that manager Jayce Tingler likes seeing up and down the lineup.
“We’re going to play fearless,” Tingler said after the Padres beat the Mainers 6-4 on Saturday for their eighth consecutive win. “We’re not going to stop being aggressive, we’re not afraid to get thrown out. That’s what I love. The way the guys are busting, the way they’re running the bases, the at-bats, the defense, the pitching. It’s exciting baseball and it’s guys pulling for one another, playing with energy.”
The Padres, who have baseball’s best record at 28-17, can sweep their third straight series if they beat the Mariners today. Overall, the Padres have won 11 of 12 games. Seattle has lost five straight.
Tatis was thrown out trying to steal third base earlier in the game, but it hardly dampened the Padres’ aggressiveness. Jorge Mateo stole third early in the fifth inning, drawing an errant throw from Murphy that allowed him to score the go-ahead run.
The game was tied at 1 when the Padres broke through against left-hander Justus Sheffield (3-4) in the fifth. The Padres scored five runs on four singles, two walks, a stolen base and a sacrifice bunt by Joe Musgrove, a starting pitcher who sometimes is called on to pinch-hit. The Mariners committed three errors in the inning, two after Hosmer singled.
UP NEXT — Seattle’s left-hander Yusei Kikuchi (1-3, 4.32 ERA) is scheduled to start the series finale against San Diego’s right-hander Yu Darvish (4-1, 1.81).
Seattle San Diego
ab r h bi ab r h bi
Kelenic lf 5 0 0 0 Pham lf 1 1 0 0
Haniger rf 4 1 1 1 Profar rf 5 1 2 0
Lewis cf 5 0 1 0 Crnnwrth 2b 5 0 0 0
Seager 3b 3 1 2 0 Tatis Jr. ss 3 1 2 0
Nottnghm 1b 3 0 0 1 Hosmer 1b 3 1 1 2
Crawford ss 4 0 1 0 Nola c 2 1 1 1
Murphy c 4 1 1 0 Kim 3b 4 0 1 1
Mayfield 2b 4 0 1 1 Mateo cf 4 1 1 0
Sheffield p 2 0 1 0 Weathers p 1 0 0 0
Swanson p 0 0 0 0 Stammen p 0 0 0 0
Walton ph 1 0 1 0 Musgrove ph 0 0 0 0
Sewald p 0 0 0 0 Lamet p 0 0 0 0
Haggerty ph 0 1 0 0 O’Grady ph 1 0 0 0
Adams p 0 0 0 0
Melancon p 0 0 0 0
Totals 35 4 9 3 Totals 29 6 8 4
Seattle 001 000 012 — 4
San Diego 010 050 00x — 6
E—Murphy 2 (5), Sheffield (1), Melancon (1). DP—Seattle 1, San Diego 0. LOB—Seattle 8, San Diego 9. 2B—Seager 2 (12), Murphy (3), Kim (5), Tatis Jr. 2 (7). HR—Haniger (13). SB—Profar (7), Tatis Jr. (10). SF—Nottingham (1). S—Musgrove (2).
IP H R ER BB SO
Seattle
Sheffield L,3-4 5 7 6 5 5 3
Swanson 1 0 0 0 2 1
Sewald 2 1 0 0 2 3
San Diego
Weathers 4 6 1 1 2 2
Stammen W,3-1 1 0 0 0 0 2
Lamet H,1 3 2 1 0 0 5
Adams 1/3 1 2 1 0 0
Melancon S,16-16 2/3 0 0 0 0 2
HBP—Adams (Haggerty).
Umpires—Home, Ted Barrett; First, Angel Hernandez; Second, Edwin Moscoso; Third, Lance Barksdale.
T—3:06. A—15,250 (40,209).
