Padres extend historic start to '25, sweep Guards for perfect 7-0 record
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SAN DIEGO -- Off to the best start in franchise history, the Padres finalized a nine-year contract extension with Jackson Merrill on Wednesday morning. Before they even took the field, it was a storybook opening homestand.
They made sure it was a perfect one.
With their 5-2 victory over the Guardians at Petco Park, the Padres improved to 7-0 for the first time in franchise history -- another complete team victory in a homestand full of them.
¡°It¡¯s just been great baseball all the way around,¡± said Fernando Tatis Jr., who had two more hits and a steal of home. ¡°We have a great ballclub over here, and we came out of the gate on the right foot.¡±
In the process, the Padres kept the rival Dodgers close after L.A. started 8-0 following a walk-off win over the Braves on Wednesday. It¡¯s just the fifth time in history two teams have started the same season with seven straight victories. And, since divisional play began in 1969, the first time they¡¯ve come from the same division.
The Padres accomplished the feat with four victories over Atlanta on opening weekend, followed by three against Cleveland. They¡¯ve pitched. They¡¯ve slugged. They¡¯ve run wild on the bases, and they¡¯ve been nearly perfect on defense.
¡°It¡¯s just good baseball every night,¡± said Padres manager Mike Shildt. ¡°... We can beat you in a lot of different ways.¡±
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Indeed, the Padres have been masters of situational ball over the season¡¯s first week. But they mash, too, and Merrill offered a quick reminder with his second home run in as many games, putting San Diego on top, 4-0, in the third.
After the game, Merrill was asked to sum up his day. Sure, he¡¯d guaranteed himself $135 million over the next nine years. But he insisted that wasn¡¯t his focus.
¡°We're 7-0,¡± Merrill said. ¡°If we didn't win that game today, I would've been pissed.¡±
Dylan Cease pitched 6 1/3 innings of one-run ball. Luis Arraez launched his first home run of the season. Jose Iglesias made a remarkable diving stop at third base, then threw from his backside to steal a hit from Jhonkensy Noel.
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¡°Amazing [homestand],¡± Arraez said. ¡°We¡¯ve played really good baseball. We do the little things, and then that happens. When we do the little things, we win games.¡±
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Arraez himself was at the center of one of those little things -- a perfectly executed first-and-third situation that resulted in Tatis¡¯ steal of home. Arraez broke for second, thinking the Guardians wouldn¡¯t throw through. For most of the series, they hadn¡¯t.
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When they did -- and when Arraez realized he was likely to become the final out of the inning -- he slammed on the brakes. Second baseman Daniel Schneeman turned and threw home to try to cut down the run. Tatis slid in safely, and Arraez cruised into second.
¡°We¡¯re playing the game hard,¡± Tatis said. ¡°We have been trying to since the first day. That¡¯s why I¡¯m hitting leadoff right now -- just to create chaos.¡±
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Merrill has often summed up the Padres philosophy thusly (and did so again on Wednesday): ¡°We apply pressure. We don't feel it.¡±
Nonetheless, after receiving a standing ovation from some corners of Petco Park, Merrill struck out in the second inning. Which clearly irked him.
"Striking out first at-bat, I was like, ¡®Damn, this is how we're gonna go?¡¯" Merrill said. "I had to come with something, had to give the fans something."
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He gave them a second home run in 24 hours -- with a nine-year extension sandwiched in between. The Padres were on their way to a seventh straight victory, even if they would allow two late runs. (Until Wednesday, San Diego was the only team in the Majors that had yet to allow a run in the sixth inning or later.)
Shortly after Robert Suarez nailed down the save, the Padres packed their things and headed for Chicago, where they¡¯ll open a three-game series against the Cubs on Friday. A happy flight, for sure.
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The Padres had never started a season any better than 4-0, and they¡¯d only even reached that mark once -- en route to the 1984 NL pennant. Now, they¡¯ll be looking to double their previous record win streak to start a season.
And who knows what other unprecedented feats await the Padres after a start like this?
There¡¯s a big one they¡¯d like to check off the list about seven months from now.