Field Level Media
Apr 28, 2018
Catcher Austin Hedges broke out of a season-long slump with a career-high five RBIs, and Christian Villanueva and Franchy Cordero added tape-measure home runs Saturday night as the Padres routed the Mets 12-2 at Petco Park in San Diego.
Left-handed rookie Joey Lucchesi threw one-hit ball over five innings before giving up a two-run homer to Yoenis Cespedes in the sixth to pick up his third win in four decisions.
The Padres scored four in the first and nine runs total in 3 2/3 innings off Mets starter Jason Vargas, who came off the disabled list to make his first start of the season.
Villanueva's 415-foot drive to left-center gave the Padres a 2-0 lead just three hitters into the bottom of the first. Center fielder Manuel Margot added a two-run triple later in the first.
Hedges got the first two of his RBIs with a two-run, two-out single in the third to make it 6-0 before the Padres scored five more in the fourth.
The first three of those runs came on a home run by Franchy Cordero that traveled either 459 or 453 feet according to the tracking system. Either way, the rookie outfielder is the first player in the majors this season to have three homers over 450 feet. His longest was 489 feet last Saturday in Arizona.
Hedges added a two-run double in the fourth and an RBI single in the sixth. Hedges entered the game hitting .143 with five RBIs. He went 3-for-4 to raise his batting average 33 points while doubling his RBI total.
Eric Hosmer, Jose Pirela, Margot and Freddy Galvis all had two hits for the Padres. Pirela and Galvis each scored three runs.
Lucchesi (3-1) and relievers Adam Cimber and Robbie Erlin held the Mets to four hits. Lucchesi allowed both runs and all four hits with two walks and sis strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings.
The Padres suffered one loss Saturday night. Wil Myers clutched at his left side while swinging the bat in the fourth inning and departed the game with what was later described as a left oblique strain.
--Field Level Media