Rivera’s Career Day Leads Padres To Second Straight Victory

Sep 10, 2013; Philadelphia, PA, USA; San Diego Padres catcher

(44) hits a two RBI double during the fourth inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports

Tonight the Padres kicked off a three-game series with the Giants in San Francisco. The Padres entered trailing the first place Giants by just 3 1/2 games, so this is a crucial series even this early in the year. The Friars came into the contest shorthanded. Seth Smith is still sidelined with a groin injury, and Jedd Gyorko left the team for paternity leave.

The Padres had Tyson Ross going for them, while the Giants countered with Madison Bumgarner. The last time Ross faced the Giants he outdueled Matt Cain, tossing 8 shutout innings en route to a Padres’ victory. The Padres got on the scoreboard first, taking advantage of a Brandon Crawford error with back-to-back doubles by Alexi Amarista and Rene Rivera in the fourth. Unfortunately for Ross and the Padres, they couldn’t hold on in the bottom of the frame. A Hunter Pence triple and a Michael Morse single would put the Giants on top 3-2 after 4. Despite that the Padres would respond the next half inning with a 3 run-shot by Rene Rivera, giving him 5 RBI on the day and on the season. But, not to be out done by Bumgarner, Ross would let up a homer of his own in the bottom half of the inning courtesy of Brandon Hicks.

From there on out, the bullpens of both sides took over and shutdown the opposition until Amarista’s fielder’s choice to gave Huston Street a little breathing room. Street would set down the Giants in order notching his 10th save and the Padres 13th win.

The Padres come back tomorrow for Game 2 of the series with Eric Stults taking on Matt Cain tomorrow at 7 pm PST.