The San Diego Padres came out on top with a 6-4 victory over the San Francisco Giants on Thursday, thanks to a crucial two-run double by Jake Cronenworth in the seventh inning. This win marked a memorable return for Bob Melvin to San Diego, as he previously managed the Padres for two seasons before joining the Giants with one year left on his contract.
The Giants made their season debut in this game, while the Padres had already opened the season with a two-game series against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Seoul. In a twist of fate, Melvin’s former team secured the win with the help of a sacrifice fly by Jung Hoo Lee in his first major league game, which gave the Giants a brief 3-2 lead before the Padres rallied in the seventh inning.
Yuki Matsui picked up the win for the Padres, while Robert Suárez notched his second save of the season. Luke Jackson suffered the loss for the Giants in a game that saw Cuban Jorge Soler go 3-0 at the plate for San Francisco.
On the Padres side, Dominicans Fernando Tatis Jr. and Manny Machado put up solid performances, with Venezuelan José Azocar also contributing to the victory. The Giants saw Venezuelans Wilmer Flores and Thairo Estrada make notable plays, despite ultimately falling to the Padres in a hard-fought battle.