Dylan Cease took a shutout into the seventh inning Sunday, while Luis Arraez delivered a two-run double to lead the San Diego Padres to a 6-2 win over the visiting Boston Red Sox.
In winning consecutive starts for the first time this year, Cease (5-10) permitted just four hits and two runs, walking two and striking out seven. It marked the first time since July 18 that Cease had pitched past the fifth inning.
Brayan Bello (8-6) absorbed the loss as he allowed five runs off six hits and three walks in 5 2/3 innings, whiffing seven. All the runs came with two outs, including the pair Arraez knocked in to initiate scoring in the bottom of the third.
Bello was an out from facing the minimum through three innings when Freddy Fermin lined a two-out single into center. After Fernando Tatis Jr. was hit by a pitch, Arraez drilled a pitch to left-center, just out of the reach of center fielder Jarren Duran, to score both runners.
Tatis made it 3-0 in the fifth by grounding an RBI single to left, just out of the reach of diving shortstop Trevor Story. It scored Jake Cronenworth, who blooped a one-out double down the left field line.
Xander Bogaerts upped the margin to 4-0 in the sixth by looping a run-scoring single to left to plate Manny Machado, who singled with one out and then stole second with two outs. Bello and reliever Chris Murphy combined to issue three straight walks, with Cronenworth cashing in Bogaerts on his free pass.
Boston scored its runs in the seventh after loading the bases with no outs. Romy Gonzalez’s potential double-play grounder was booted by Bogaerts to make it 5-2. The Red Sox re-filled the sacks with no outs, but relievers Jason Adam and Adrian Morejon combined to strike out the side.
Ryan O’Hearn capped the Padres’ scoring in the seventh with a sacrifice fly that chased home Tatis.
Arraez, Tatis and Fermin each collected two hits. Tatis reached base four times.
–Field Level Media
