Lucas Giolito tossed five shutout innings Saturday night and the San Diego Padres took advantage of surprising wildness from Athletics starter J.T. Ginn in a 2-0 home victory.
Giolito (2-0) allowed four hits and issued five walks while striking out two but was able to pitch out of multiple jams. He stranded three walks in the fourth when he induced an inning-ending 3-6-3 double play ball from Jeff McNeil.
San Diego used its high-leverage relievers to wrap up the victory. Jeremiah Estrada, Adrian Morejon and Jason Adam each handled an inning before former Athletic Mason Miller, facing his old team for the first time since being traded at the deadline last year, worked a 1-2-3 ninth for his 16th save in as many chances.
Ginn (2-3), who threw eight no-hit innings Monday night before losing 2-1 to the Angels in Los Angeles, left this one with a no-hitter. But he only lasted 2 1/3 innings because he walked six, hit a batter and threw 73 pitches. Ginn fanned four and was charged with both runs.
Ginn entered the game having issued only three walks in his previous three starts. But two first-inning walks hinted at what happened an inning later. In the third, he gave up free passes to Jackson Merrill, Freddy Fermin and Sung-Mun Song, then hit Fernando Tatis Jr. to force Merrill home.
An inning later, Ginn was pulled after walking Nick Castellanos with one out. Jose Suarez relieved and promptly gave up a double to Merrill, followed by Ty France’s groundout that scored Castellanos.
The Padres didn’t manage another hit until Gavin Sheets singled with two outs in the seventh. They coaxed eight walks but went 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position and stranded nine runners.
The Athletics’ Nick Kurtz was the only player for either team with two hits, and teammate Shea Langeliers managed the A’s only extra-base hit, a double in the eighth. But they were 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position and left eight men aboard.
–Field Level Media
