It’s only 10 games … but man does it feel good for Padres fans.
The Friars got a great start from Zach Lee and more offense from the top of the order to beat the Rockies 6-0 on Wednesday afternoon. San Diego has won two straight series against division opponents and is an even 5-5 on the season.
The fact the Padres are at the .500 mark after basically every national baseball reporter said they would be the worst team in baseball in 2017 is a mini-victory of sorts for the Friar Faithful.
It has been awfully nice to have Manuel Margot at the top of the order. For the fifth time in the last six games Manny led off the game with a base hit. This time is was a double off Rockies starter Kyle Freeland, a knock that touched off a rally.
Wil Myers followed with a double to plate Margot with a 1-0 lead. Then Yangervis Solarte singled in Myers for a 2-0 lead. Two batters later Ryan Schimpf hit his second home run of the season, a 2-run laser to right field that put the Padres up 4-0. San Diego batted around in the first inning and they didn’t know it at the time but that was going to be plenty of offense for Zach Lee.
The former 1st round pick of the Dodgers had not started a game in 2017 and his only other Major League start came in 2015. He was called up because Trevor Cahill went on the disabled list but he looked like a veteran at Coors Field.
Lee threw 5.1 shutout innings, striking out three and allowing only two hits. Relievers Jose Torres, Ryan Buchter, Jake Esch (just called up from Double-A San Antonio when Luis Perdomo went on the DL) and Brandon Maurer finished the shutout to give Lee his first big league win.
The Padres got two more runs in the 5th inning. Hunter Renfroe singled home Myers (who walked) then Schimpf got his third RBI of the day with a sacrifice fly to score Solarte (who singled).
In one more positive offensive note catcher Austin Hedges got his first base hit of the season. After starting 0-24 he hit a dribbler up the 3rd base line for an infield single.
San Diego takes Thursday off then starts a 4-game set against the Braves to open their brand new ballpark on Friday. Former Padre Matt Kemp will not be part of that series. He’s on the DL with a hamstring issue.
Atlanta will have the guy they want on the mound. All-Star right-hander Julio Teheran, who has not allowed an earned run yet this season, gets the nod against Padres righty Jhoulys Chacin.
