The matchup is named for Pearl Jam’s Eddie Vedder, who has roots in San Diego and Seattle, reports NBC 7’s Derek Togerson.
After years of the fans calling the Padres vs. Mariners showdowns The Vedder Cup, in 2025 the clubs decided to make it official. They even got Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder (who grew up in San Diego and achieved musical stardom in Seattle) to donate a guitar to make into an official trophy awarded to the series winner each year.
Round 1 went to the birthplace of grunge.
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WATCH HEREThe Mariners topped the Padres 5-1 in Friday night's series opener. Stephen Kolek, who was in the Mariners system before the Padres took him in the 2023 Rule 5 Draft, got the start after tossing a shutout at Coors Field. His first pitch of the night was ripped into the right field seats by Seattle shortstop J.P. Crawford, the first earned run Kolek has allowed as a big league starting pitcher.
The long ball turned out to be the promising right-handers demise. He also coughed up two-run homers to Rowdy Tellez and Cal Raleigh, finishing his night with five runs allowed in 5.0 innings. Recently, that hasn't been too much for the San Diego offense to overcome. This time they couldn't find the timely hit.
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SIGN UP The Friars applied pressure to M's rookie Logan Evans, putting at least one runner on base in each of the first six innings of the game. Every time, Evans wiggled off the hook. The Padres didn't get on the board until the ninth inning, when Jake Cronenworth doubled home Gavin Sheets.
San Diego can even the Vedder Cup on Saturday night with Nick Pivetta on the mound against Emerson Hancock.
