Padres at Mariners
Nelson Cruz is finally getting some help, and Seattle is beginning to
look like the contender many felt it could be after hitting its most homers in a game since 2004. The Mariners look to stay
perfect on a long homestand when they wrap up a two-game series with
San Diego on Wednesday.
Five different Seattle hitters went deep - including two by Mike Zunino - in Tuesday's six-homer 11-4 rout of the Padres, which matched the Mariners' best output for runs this season and gave the club a season-high four straight wins. Cruz did homer late in the contest, his major league-leading 15th, and has slugged one in five consecutive interleague games, which is tied with eight others for the all-time record. He will attempt to establish a new standard against San Diego right-hander James Shields, who has served up seven home runs in his last two starts.
TV: 10:10 p.m. ET, FSN San Diego, ROOT (Seattle)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Padres RH James Shields (4-0, 4.25 ERA) vs. Mariners RH Taijuan Walker (1-3, 8.13)
Shields is looking to become the first Padres pitcher since 2007 to start a season 5-0 but his last two outings - both wins - have not been pretty, as he has allowed a total of 10 runs while struggling to keep the ball in the park. The veteran has 26 strikeouts in 17 1/3 innings over his last three starts and pulled into Tuesday's play leading the National League with 11.69 punchouts per nine. Shields is 3-3 with a 3.61 ERA in seven career starts at Seattle.
Walker had a slight rebound from a rocky performance at Houston on May 2, allowing three runs in five innings while fanning six to help the Mariners win 4-3 in Oakland on Friday. The former first-round selection has been a bit better at home, where he has surrendered four runs and nine hits in 10 1/3 innings. Walker, 22, is 0-2 with a 7.00 ERA and 10 walks in nine innings over two career interleague starts.
WALK-OFFS
1. Mariners 2B Robinson Cano is batting .405 with four home runs and nine doubles against Shields.
2. The Padres are 0-4 in interleague games this year.
3. Seattle SP Hisashi Iwakuma (lat strain) was shut down for up to two weeks due to tightness, manager Lloyd McClendon told reporters Tuesday.