The Sports Xchange
Jun 25, 2017
SAN DIEGO -- Hector Sanchez hit a two-run, go-ahead, pinch-hit homer off Detroit reliever Shane Greene to trigger a five-run eighth Saturday night to lead the San Diego Padres to a 7-3 victory over the Tigers at Petco Park.
The Padres' second straight victory over the Tigers was San Diego's third straight win. The loss was Detroit's eighth straight -- the Tigers longest losing streak since 2015.
The Padres were trailing 3-2 when pinc -hitter Erick Aybar drew a walk to open the bottom of the eighth. Sanchez, who had come off the disabled list a day earlier, drove a 0-and-1 pitch 403 feet into the right-field stands. Sanchez was pinch-hitting for right-handed reliever Kirby Yates (2-1).
The Padres then added three more runs. Carlos Asuaje singled with one out and Wil Myers and Hunter Renfroe drew walks to load the bases ahead of a two-run single by Cory Spangenberg. Austin Hedges drove in the inning's final run with a bunt single.
Andrew Romine gave Detroit a 3-2 lead in the seventh with a run-scoring single. Romine had a hand in all three Detroit runs.
Greene (1-2) suffered the loss.
Former Padre Justin Upton opened the Tigers' go-ahead rally in the seventh with a lead-off double against San Diego rookie right-handed starter Dinelson Lamet, who was working in the seventh for the first time in the major leagues.
Right-handed rookie Phil Maton replaced Lamet and gave up back-to-back singles to Nicholas Castellanos and Romine, who finished 2-for-4 with a double, two RBIs and a run scored. Upton was 1-for-3 with a walk and two runs scored.
The Tigers took a one-run lead with a strange, two-run fifth.
Upton drew a walk from Lamet to open the inning. Castellanos then topped the ball in front of the plate. Padres catcher Hedges first dropped the ball, then threw to first with Castellanos apparently safe when the throw came out of first baseman Myers' glove with Upton advancing to third.
But plate umpire Jordan Baker ruled Castellanos ran inside the baseline en route to first and called the third baseman out on interference with Upton returning to first.
Romine then lined a double to right, driving home Upton to tie the game with Romine advancing to third when Renfroe's throw from right sailed into the Tigers' dugout on the third-base side of the field.
With the infield in, Jose Iglesias hit a sharp grounder to short. Chase d'Arnaud fielded the ball, but his throw to the plate went off Hedges' glove for an error as Romine scored.
The Padres took a 1-0 lead against Anibal Sanchez in the bottom of the third without getting the ball out of the infield.
The inning opened with Anibal Sanchez hitting Allen Cordoba on the left wrist, forcing the shortstop out of the game with a wrist contusion.
D'Arnaud ran for Cordoba and immediately stole second. Lamet then bunted back to Anibal Sanchez, who overthrew third in an attempt to get the advancing d'Arnaud, who scored on the throwing error.
The Padres tied the game at 2-2 in the bottom of the sixth. Jose Pirela doubled, was sacrificed to third on Asuaje's bunt and scored on Myers' sacrifice fly to left center.
Anibal Sanchez allowed two runs (one earned) on two hits and a hit batter with four strikeouts in six innings. Lamet allowed three runs (two earned) on three hits and a walk with five strikeouts in six-plus innings.
NOTES: The Padres signed LHP MacKenzie Gore on Saturday. Gore was the Padres' first round pick and the third overall selection in this year's draft. The 17-year-old from Whiteville, N.C., received a $6.7 million bonus and will report to the Arizona Rookie League Sunday. ... The Tigers are 3-13 since being 29-29 on June 7. ... Padres LF Alex Dickerson, who has been on the disabled list since spring training with a protruding disc in his lower back, will have surgery Wednesday to have the protrusion removed. The rehab is expected to be six months.