SAN DIEGO (AP) — Lucas Giolito and four relievers combined on a five-hitter as the San Diego Padres beat the Athletics 2-0 on Saturday night.
Fernando Tatis Jr. and Ty France each drove in a run for the Padres, who have won six of eight. They mustered only two hits themselves, but took advantage of six early walks by A's starter J.T. Ginn (2-3).
Five days earlier, Ginn took a no-hitter into the ninth inning against the Los Angeles Angels before giving
up a leadoff single to Adam Frazier and a two-run homer to Zach Neto in a heartbreaking 2-1 loss.
This time, the right-hander lasted only 2 1/3 innings. He didn't allow any hits, but he walked six of the 14 batters he faced and plunked Tatis with a bases-loaded pitch in the second.
Giolito (2-0) has won both his starts for San Diego since signing a one-year contract with the Padres in April. He overcame five walks this time out, allowing four hits in five innings.
The veteran right-hander gave up singles to his first two batters, putting runners at the corners, but pitched out of the jam.
Jeremiah Estrada and Adrian Morejon each worked a hitless inning before Jason Adam struck out three in a one-hit eighth. Mason Miller fanned two in a perfect ninth for his 16th save.
Jackson Merrill doubled, walked and scored a run in his first game since Wednesday against the Dodgers, when he exited with a back injury after banging into the center-field wall trying to rob Shohei Ohtani of a home run.
Merrill drew a leadoff walk in the second and scored when Tatis was hit by a pitch after Ginn walked the bases loaded with one out.
Ginn was lifted after walking Nick Castellanos with one out in the third. He moved to third base on Merrill's double and scored on France's groundout.
Athletics LHP Jacob Lopez (3-2, 6.14 ERA) starts Sunday against RHP Michael King (4-2, 2.31) in the finale of the three-game series.
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