The Padres’ five-game winning streak came to a hard stop Monday night, and Robbie Ray was the reason why. San Diego opened its four-game set against the Giants with a 4-1 loss, as San Francisco got a sharp outing from its starter and enough early offense to keep the Padres at arm’s length the rest of the way.
The game tilted quickly in the first two innings. The Giants struck first with a run in the opening frame, then added two more in the second against JP Sears. Rafael Devers brought home the first run with a sacrifice fly, and Daniel Susac followed with a two-run homer to push San Francisco ahead 3-0 before the Padres could settle in.
San Diego answered in the third, but only briefly. Ty France was hit by a pitch, Jackson Merrill moved him up with a single, and Xander Bogaerts delivered an RBI single to cut the deficit to 3-1.
That was as close as the Padres would get. Ray and three Giants relievers shut the door from there.
The Giants added another run in the fifth off Wandy Peralta, and Susac was involved again, this time driving in a run with a sacrifice fly. San Diego finished with just one extra-base hit all night, a double from Luis Rengifo.
Afterward, Craig Stammen kept the loss in perspective. In comments relayed by AJ Cassavell of MLB.com, he said, “It was a good stretch,” said Stammen.
“We’ve been playing good baseball. We’re not going to win every game the rest of the year.
So, you’ve got to keep it in perspective, get back at it tomorrow.”
Fernando Tatis Jr. pointed to the offense’s inability to string anything together against Ray. “It just kind of got away from us a little bit offensively,” said Tatis.
“We could not put it together as a whole group today. One of those days.
You just regroup and get ready for tomorrow.”
Stammen also singled out Randy Vasquez, who gave the Padres 4-2/3 scoreless innings after entering in the fifth, once the game had already swung heavily toward San Francisco. With the Padres continuing to lean on a “pitching by committee” approach, that kind of length matters, especially for a middle relief group that can get stretched thin.
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