The Padres wrapped up Summer Camp Wednesday night in Anaheim, with a 5-4 win over the Angels.
Two nights ago, when the same teams met, Garrett Richards and the Padres' stacked bullpen held Mike Trout and company to a single run. Jayce Tingler's team didn't do much of note beyond that stellar pitching performance. They struck out nine times and failed to score a run.
In Wednesday's exhibition there were more signs of life. Defensively, Manny Machado and Trent Grisham made impressive plays.
Offensively, the team shook off two sluggish innings and erupted for five runs in the third. Former Aztec got things moving with a leadoff single. After Grisham drew a walk, Austin Hedges bunted - leading to a throwing error that allowed France to score. Fernando Tatis Jr. pushed another across, legging out an infield single. Machado and Tommy Pham singled in runs, before Eric Hosmer pushed Machado across on a sacrifice fly.
They could've done more damage, but Angels manager Joe Maddon called the inning after a Jurickson Profar single, the sixth base hit of the inning.
"It was really good to see tonight," Tingler said. "Hopefully bring a little bit of momentum into Friday."
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As reassuring as that was, the most important order of business took place on the mound. With Chris Paddack, Dinelson Lamet, Garrett Richards and Zach Davis locked into the first four spots of the team's rotation - the two pitchers vying for the final slot each got their turn.
Third year starter Joey Lucchesi opened things up on an impressive note, with strikeouts of Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani rounding out a 1-2-3 inning. However, the lefty ran into trouble the next three innings. Lucchesi allowed a run in each frame, struggled to land third strikes and keep hitters off base. He finished with three earned runs in four innings, allowing six hits and two walks, with five strikeouts. He needed 79 pitches to get through those four frames.
Lucchesi was followed by Cal Quantrill. The second year righty found trouble out of the gates, allowing three straight singles and a run in the fifth inning. From there he settled in, allowing two baserunners the final two innings. Quantrill tossed three innings, allowing one earned run on five hits and no walks, with five strikeouts.
After the game Tingler provided no clarity on the competition.
"We've got a lot of conversations to be had, so we're setting up the roster tomorrow," Tingler said. "The second part of that conversation is we gotta get the coaches and everybody involved on what we want to do certainly Monday and Tuesday next week."
One of those games will be pitched by Davies, the other will feature one of the two that took the hill Wednesday night.
Tingler and AJ Preller have to have the Padres 30-man Opening Day roster set by 9:00 a.m. Thursday morning. Once that's done, its on to game one of 60. After a three-week ramp up to the shortened season, Tingler feels good about where his guys are.
"I think the team's prepared and confident in the work they've done. Now let's test drive it and see where we're at."
