Jurickson Profar smacked a first-inning grand slam, Michael King and three relievers combined on a four-hitter and the San Diego Padres evened their series against the host San Francisco Giants with a 4-0 victory on Saturday night.
Profar’s homer, his first of the season, came after Xander Bogaerts singled to open the game. Giants starter Keaton Winn (0-2) retired the next two men he faced, before Manny Machado singled and Ha-Seong Kim walked to set up Profar.
King (2-0) took it from there, having learned from experience how to pitch with a lead. In his two previous starts, he was staked to a 5-0 first-inning advantage, including Sunday against the Giants.
The first-year Padre coasted through seven innings, allowing just four hits — all singles — and one walk. He struck out four.
The Giants got just two baserunners as far as second base against King — Mike Yastrzemski in the second inning after a two-out single and passed ball on Luis Campusano, and Thairo Estrada in the seventh after he singled with two outs and advanced when Yastrzemski walked.
In both cases, King struck out Tom Murphy to end the threat.
Tom Cosgrove and Stephen Kolek tag-teamed a hitless eighth, before Robert Suarez gave up just a walk in the ninth in a non-save situation to give the Padres a third win in six games against the Giants this season.
The clubs split four games last week in San Diego, with King pitching the first four inning of a 13-4 victory in the finale.
Winn settled down after the first, holding the Padres scoreless for the next five innings. He allowed just the four runs, with three hits and three walks, in his six innings, striking out one.
The Padres finished with five hits, none for extra bases after Profar’s homer.
Giants relievers Landen Roupp and Nick Avila helped keep the home team in the game with a combined three shutout innings. Each reliever allowed one hit.
–Field Level Media