Padres Smack the Braves Around to Win Game 1

San Diego Padres 11 – Atlanta Braves 2

The Padres are coming back from winning two straight from the Boston Red Sox and carried that momentum against the Atlanta Braves tonight. We were clicking on all cylinders tonight with the offense putting 11 runs on the board and the pitching shutting down the Braves.

The Padres were able to chase P Derek Lowe in the sixth inning getting some two-out thunder! The Padres were already leading 2-0 in the sixth inning and Lowe had already retired two Padres. Anthony Rizzo came up to the plate and doubled and Cameron Maybin followed that with an infield single. Alberto Gonzalez came up with two runners on and delivered a clutch single to drive both runs in. Tim Stauffer came up to the plate and continued the hit parade with a single to drive in Gonzo. We struck for 4 straight hits with 2 outs in that inning.

We followed up that inning with more offense. As a team, we hit for the cycle in the inning. Orlando Hudson started it off with a single and Ryan Ludwick followed that up with a double to bring Hudson in. Rizzo was intentionally walked and Maybin hit a triple to drive in both runners. Gonzo came up and reached on an error and Jesus Guzman came in to pinch hit and drove the ball over the left field wall for a home run. A 6-run Padres 7th inning!

Timmy Stauffer ptiched a gem and at one point retired 16 straight batters. He pitched 7 innings and struck out nine Braves. Pat Neshek and Josh Spence finished off the game and didn’t surrender any runs. Spence made his major league debut in the ninth inning.