SAN DIEGO — Rookie Manuel Margot hit his first two big league homers and Yangervis Solarte had a go-ahead two-run double in the seventh inning, helping the San Diego Padres beat the San Francisco Giants 7-6 in their home opener Friday.
Solarte’s double to the gap in right-centre gave the Padres the lead again after the Giants had gone up 5-4 on Brandon Belt’s first career grand slam with no outs in the sixth. Solarte had three hits and four RBIs.
San Francisco’s bullpen troubles continued when George Kontos (0-1) walked Travis Jankowski opening the seventh and allowed a single to Wil Myers before Solarte doubled them in. Solarte advanced on a fly out and scored on Austin Hedges’ sacrifice bunt to make it 7-5.
That run came in handy because Belt homered again, off Ryan Buchter, to straightaway centre with two outs in the eighth.
Jose Torres (1-0) pitched a perfect seventh for his first big league win. Brandon Maurer pitched a perfect ninth for his first save.
Margot, called up late last season, became the first rookie to hit two homers in a Padres home opener. He had only two home runs in five minor league seasons.
Margot homered to left-centre leading off the first and to left leading off the third, both off Matt Cain.
Solarte hit RBI singles in the third and fifth innings.
With no outs in the sixth, Belt hit an 84-mph slider from Luis Perdomo to right-centre. Perdomo had loaded the bases on a leadoff single by Conor Gillaspie, who was pinch-hitting for Cain, a double by Joe Panik and a walk to Aaron Hill.
Both teams came in after winning just one of their first four games.
Perdomo allowed five runs and seven hits in 5 1/3 innings, struck out three and walked one. He balked in a run in the first. Cain went 4 1/3 innings, allowing four runs and six hits while striking out three and walking three.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Giants: RHP Hunter Strickland was placed on the paternity list. His wife Shelley is due to give birth to a daughter, Kinsey Rae, this weekend. … LHP Steven Okert was recalled from Triple-A Sacramento.
Padres: C Hector Sanchez was placed on the seven-day disabled list with concussion symptoms after getting hit in the mask with a foul tip at the Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday. … The Padres selected the contract of OF Jabari Blash, who hit seven homers during spring training, and transferred OF Alex Dickerson to the 60-day disabled list.
UP NEXT
Giants: LHP Madison Bumgarner (0-0, 3.86) didn’t get a decision in the season opener at Arizona, but he became the first pitcher ever to hit two homers in his team’s first game.
Padres: RHP Jhoulys Chacin (0-1, 24.30) looks for a better result than opening day, when he allowed a career-high nine runs and eight hits in 3 1/3 innings in a 14-3 loss at Dodger Stadium.
[relatedlinks]
