Nick Castellanos and Jake Cronenworth each had two hits, including a double and an RBI, to lead the Padres to a 5-0 victory over the host Pirates on Monday night in Pittsburgh.
Xander Bogaerts and Freddy Fermin each also had two hits as San Diego won its third in a row and seventh in a row at PNC Park.
The Padres’ offense backed up a strong start by German Marquez (1-1), who threw five shutout innings, allowed six hits and one walk and struck out four on 92 pitches. Marquez tossed a combined shutout — the Padres’ second of the season — with relievers Ron Marinaccio and David Morgan, who each pitched two scoreless innings. Marquez improved to 7-1 in eight career starts against the Pirates.
Spencer Horwitz had two hits and Ryan O’Hearn had a double for the Pirates, who left nine runners on base and had a five-game winning streak snapped.
Pittsburgh starter Bubba Chandler (0-1) exited a game after 4 1/3 innings pitched for the second consecutive start to open the season.
Chandler walked four and struck out four after striking out six and walking six in his first start on March 31 against the Cincinnati Reds. But unlike that season-opening outing, Chandler did not escape unscathed as he gave up three runs on five hits, including a pair of doubles.
Both Castellanos and Cronenworth drove in runs with two outs. Castellanos’ line-drive single to left drove in the Padres’ first run in the top of the fourth.
Jackson Merrill’s ground-rule double to left center field in the top of the fifth drove in another as Ramon Laureano scored.
Yohan Ramirez relieved Chandler after 83 pitches, but the Padres extended their lead to 3-0 on an RBI ground out by Manny Machado. Back-to-back doubles with two outs off Ramirez by Fermin and Cronenworth put San Diego ahead 4-0. Laureano added a fifth run in the top of the eighth on another two-out double.
Brandon Lowe and Bryan Reynolds each walked to open the bottom of the eighth. But O’Hearn grounded into a double play, and Marcell Ozuna grounded out to short.
–Field Level Media
