The San Diego Padres opened their Spring Training schedule Wednesday with their annual charity game against the Seattle Mariners. This game has been the one that fans have been waiting for since Padres General Manager/Executive Vice President A.J. Preller joined the staff. Prellar has been busy this offseason preparing the roster, to the best of his abilities, to bring the Padres some much-needed success.
Manager Bud Black announced the starters for yesterday’s game, and fans might have been surprised to see among the list of starters Prellar’s two biggest offseason pickups in Matt Kemp and Justin Upton. Also in the lineup were Wil Nieves and Cameron Maybin, who were trying to make their mark this preseason. Maybin missed time due to a suspension for a violation of the Major League Baseball drug policy while Nieves played for the Philadelphia Phillies and was dealing with many injuries that kept him out of their lineup.
Padres starter Jason Lane pitched two innings, allowing one run on four hits in his two innings of work.
Upton was 0-for-2 in the game until stepping up and knocking a home run to center field in the seventh inning. Kemp did not have as good of a game, but he had confidence after the game that his hits would start coming.
Upton’s seventh inning solo shot got the Padres on the board; however, the defense would not be able to hold off the Mariners, who would win in the 10th inning by a score of 4-3.
Among the others to score for the Padres were Rico Noel and Cory Spangenberg. Other Padres who played well yesterday were Cameron Maybin, who went 1 for 2, and Tommy Medica, who went 2 for 2 with one RBI.
Meanwhile for the Mariners, starting pitcher Taijuan Walker allowed only one hit in two innings of work while also striking out two. D.J. Peterson hit his solo home run in the first inning off of Lane to open the scoring for the Mariners. Other Mariners who played well included Patrick Kivlehan (2 for 3), Mike Dowd (2 for 2 with two RBI), and Tyler Marlette (1 for 1 with 1 run).