After playing a bunch of extra-inning games in 2014 (and 2013, 2012, 2011, pretty much every year since Petco Park opened in 2004), the Padres opened their 2015 exhibition season by playing extra innings.
What's that saying about the more things change?
The Padres lost to the Mariners 4-3 in 10-innings at Peoria Stadium. Matt Kemp made his Padres Cactus League debut, going 0-3 with a strikeout. But, fellow outfielder Justin Upton made a big splash in his first game as a Padre.
Upton hammered a home run to centerfield off Seattle reliever Forrest Snow. It showed the kind of pop the Padres have been missing since Adrian Gonzalez was traded after the 2010 season.
The Padres did not put any of their projected five starting pitchers on the mound. Jason Lane got the start, allowing one run on four his in 2.0 innings.
Reliever Tayron Guerrero took the loss when he allowed an RBI single to Patrick Kivlehan in the 10th. On Thursday the Padres and Mariners will meet again. Both Andrew Cashner and Ian Kennedy are expected to make their 2015 debuts.
