If you lose a game because the other team was better than you, that's OK. But if you lose a game because you wasted a bunch of chances to score, essentially beating yourself, that's not OK. The Padres were guilty of the latter on Saturday night in a 4-1 loss to the Mariners at Petco Park.
San Diego went 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position, and several of them came in golden run-producing scenarios. For example, MLB teams are expected to, more often than not, score when they have a runner at 3rd base and fewer than two outs.
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WATCH HEREIn the 2nd inning the Friars had runners at 2nd and 3rd with one out. Jake Cronenworth and Elias Diaz both struck out. In the 5th inning the Friars loaded the bases with one out. Manny Machado and Jackson Merrill both struck out. The only run they did score came when nobody was on base, courtesy of a 4th inning home run by Gavin Sheets.
The lack of offensive production squandered another great start by Nick Pivetta. The right-hander tossed 6.0 innings of one run ball with seven strikeouts. When he left the game was tied 1-1.
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SIGN UP Seattle took the lead one pitch later. Adrian Morejon came on and threw a cutter right down the middle and Cal Raleigh crushed it into the left field seats. In the 9th inning the Mariners showed the Padres what to do with run-scoring opportunities. Seattle loaded the bases with one out and Dylan Moore singled home a pair to put it out of reach.
The Padres will try to avoid getting swept in the first official Vedder Cup series on Sunday afternoon with Michael King on the mound against Bryan Woo.
