SEATTLE (AP) — James Shields became the first San Diego pitcher since 2007 to start the season 5-0, Will Middlebrooks homered for the first time in nearly a month, and the Padres ended the Seattle Mariners four-game win streak, 4-2 on Wednesday night.
Middlebrooks’ solo homer leading off the third inning was his fourth of the season and first since April 19. Cory Spangenberg added a sacrifice fly in the third and Abraham Almonte had an RBI single in the seventh as the Padres split the brief two-game series.
Shields (5-0) struggled to get through six innings, but became just the sixth pitcher in Padres’ history to win his first five decisions and first since Justin Germano in 2007. Shields gave up his major league-leading 12th homer to Brad Miller in the fifth inning but otherwise kept Seattle off the scoreboard a night after the Mariners hit six homers.
The Mariners had runners in scoring position in five of six innings against Shields, but were 0 for 10 in those situations. Shields allowed six hits and struck out nine, throwing a season-high 115 pitches.
The Mariners finished 1 for 12 with runners in scoring position, the only hit Miller’s RBI double in the ninth. Craig Kimbrel pitched the ninth for his 10th save in 11 chances.
Seattle’s best chance at rallying came in the sixth when Shields walked Kyle Seager and Logan Morrison to start the inning. After a brief meeting at the mound, Shield struck out Mike Zunino after he was unable to get a sacrifice bunt down and got slumping Dustin Ackley to ground into a double play.
Seattle starter Taijuan Walker (1-4) pitched six innings, his second longest start of the season, and only ran into trouble in the third when Middlebrooks went deep. Alexi Amarista followed with a double and scored on Spangenberg’s sacrifice fly.
Walker retired the Padres in order three times and pitched out of a jam in the sixth after one-out singles by Spangenberg and Matt Kemp. Walker struck out six and allowed four hits.
Spagenberg added an insurance run in the eighth reaching on a single, stealing second and advancing to third on an errant throw, and scored on a wild pitch.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Padres: Wil Myers returned to San Diego to have his sore left wrist examined by team doctors a day after being a late scratch from the lineup. Manager Bud Black said they hoped to know more on Thursday about Myers’ status.
Mariners: CF Austin Jackson was “so-so” in his first day of running after spraining his ankle last week, manager Lloyd McClendon said. Seattle hopes Jackson may be far enough along to go out on a rehab assignment this weekend.
UP NEXT
Padres: RHP Tyson Ross (1-3) has last three decisions, tied for the longest streak of his career. He’ll get a chance to stop the skid at home against Washington on Thursday.
Mariners: LHP Roenis Elias (0-1) will start the series opener against Boston on Thursday. Seattle juggled its rotation to have Elias throw against the Red Sox and has three lefties set to face Boston.
