The Padres and Giants started their 3-game set at Petco Park on Friday night owners of the top two team ERAs in Major League Baseball. The odds suggested we weren't going to see a whole lot of offense.
That's exactly how it played out.
Yu Darvish struck out 12 in 6.1 innings of a 3-2 San Diego win that pulled the Friars within 1.5 games of San Francisco in the N.L. West.
The only run Darvish allowed came in the first inning when Buster Posey launched an opposite field home run. After that, the right-hander was fantastic and he got just enough offense to get another win.
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Eric Hosmer tied it with a single in the bottom of the 1st off Giants starter Logan Webb that brought in Trent Grisham. The other two runs came in the 6th inning on a 2-RBI single from Jurickson Profar that made it 3-1.
Darvish got into a little trouble in the top of the 7th. The Giants loaded the bases with one out so manager Jayce Tingler summoned Tim Hill from the bullpen. Giants skipper Gabe Kapler countered with pinch-hitter Darin Ruf, who gave everyone in the East Village a momentary panic attack.
Ruf lifted a pitch well off the plate down the right field line and into the seats, a shot that was initially called a grand slam. Replays showed the ball was foul by several inches so the call was reversed and Hill took advantage, striking out Ruf and Mike Tauchman to get out of the jam.
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Drew Pomeranz had an adventure in the 8th. A single and two walks loaded the bases with nobody out. Evan Longoria hit a liner up the middle that checked up and hit the heel of Fernando Tatis Jr.'s glove. He recovered to make a glove flip to Jake Cronenworth, who completed the double play. A run scored but it could have been a lot worse as Pomeranz got a routine grounder to end the inning.
Mark Melancon worked a perfect 9th inning to get his league-leading 9th save. Same two teams go at it on Saturday evening when Blake Snell takes the mound against Anthony Desclafani.
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