Shields pitches Padres past Mariners
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Seattle, WA (SportsNetwork.com) - Will Middlebrooks homered, James Shields tossed six solid innings and the San Diego Padres wrapped up a short two- game set against the Seattle Mariners with a 4-2 victory on Wednesday.
Cory Spangenberg supplied two hits, an RBI and a run scored, while Abraham Almonte also drove in a run for the Padres, who ended a two-game skid.
James Shields (5-0) earned the win after surrendering just one run on six hits and three walks with nine strikeouts. He became the sixth pitcher in franchise history to start a season 5-0 and the first since Justin Germano in 2007.
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"It was a grind today, for sure. I got out of some jams and the team did a good job of scoring some runs," Shields said.
Brad Miller homered and also hit an RBI double for the Mariners, who had their four-game winning streak halted. Taijuan Walker (1-4) gave up two runs on four hits and fanned six batters in the loss.
"He gave us a chance to win the ball game. He did a nice job," Seattle manager Lloyd McClendon said of Walker. "I thought tonight was very encouraging. He competed well against a tough ball club."
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The Padres opened the scoring with two runs in the third. Middlebrooks crushed a 1-1 fastball over the wall in left-center for a leadoff blast. Alexi Amarista followed with a double, moved to third on Almonte's sacrifice bunt and hustled home on Spangenberg's sac fly.
Miller got the Mariners within a run on a solo shot to left with two outs in the fifth.
In the seventh, Will Venable singled with one out and moved to second on a groundout. After Jedd Gyorko was intentionally walked two batters later, Almonte singled to score Venable for a 3-1 lead, but right fielder Nelson Cruz threw out pinch-runner Clint Barmes at third on the play to end the frame.
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Spangenberg added another run for San Diego in the eighth. He got aboard with a leadoff single, stole second, advanced to third on catcher Mike Zunino's throwing error and hustled home on Carson Smith's wild pitch with two outs.
Craig Kimbrel allowed a leadoff single to Dustin Ackley in the bottom of the ninth. Ackley took second on defensive indifference with two outs and rounded third on Miller's RBI double to center. Kimbrel recovered to strike out Robinson Cano for his 10th save of the season.
Game Notes
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Cruz extended his hitting streak to six games ... Shields started 5-0 for the first time since 2012 ... The Mariners and Padres are each 1-4 in interleague action this season ... Seattle went 1-for-13 with runners in scoring position and left 10 on base.