The San Diego Padres found themselves in an all too familiar situation in their series opener against the San Francisco Giants at Petco Park, Monday.
The Padres trailed the Giants, 4-0 as a result of San Diego starter Nestor Cortes allowing three first inning home runs. To the Padres’ credit they battled back into the game, but ultimately dropped the first of four games, 4-3.
Cortes allowed a leadoff home run to Heliot Ramos to start the first inning and the game. Rafael Devers followed Ramos’ lead and added
the second home run of the inning and the game giving the Giants a 2-0 lead after two hitters.
Cortes got the first out of the first on a hard hit ground ball to third base by Willy Adames, but surrendered a double to Casey Schmitt one batter later. He came in to score when the following batter, Wilmer Flores, hit the third home run of the inning to give San Francisco a 4-0 lead.
San Diego appeared to have gotten on the board in the bottom of the third inning. Xander Bogaerts led off the inning with a fly ball to left field that appeared to have bounced off Ramos’ glove and ended up in the seats. The call on the field was a home run, but replay review determined the fan in the front row reached over the wall, interfered with Ramos, and the run was taken off the scoreboard and Bogaerts was called out, while sitting in the dugout.
Padres Manager Mike Shildt came out of the dugout and appeared to be seeking clarification on the call, but was promptly thrown out of the game by the home plate umpire.
Cortes settled in after the terrible first inning and completed 5 2/3 innings. He allowed the four runs in the first and surrendered seven hits with four walks and five strikeouts.
The Padres scored three runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to pull within a run. Bogaerts doubled with one out in the inning and later scored on a throwing error by Schmitt, which also allowed Jose Iglesias to reach base.
Ryan O’Hearn, making a case to be in the lineup every day, came in to pinch-hit for Jake Cronenworth with two outs and Iglesias at third base. O’Hearn hit a home run to right-center field to make the score, 4-3.
San Diego will play San Francisco, Tuesday at 6:40 p.m.