PADS RALLY, BUT NOT ENOUGH TO TOP A'S IN SPRING TRAINING

By Liz Alper

March 8, 2016 (Peoria, Az.) - A rocky spring training for the Padres got rockier last Sunday when the split squad faced the Oakland Athletics in Peoria.  

Pitcher Luis Perdomo kept the score at zero through four innings until the Athletics’ Andrew Lambo blasted a two-run homer to center field to give the A’s a 2-0 lead in the top of the fourth.

The A’s had a big 5th inning.  After a wild pitch, they drove in a run to make the score 3-0.  Chris Coghlan hit a beautiful line drive to right field to drive in two more runs to make the score 5-0.

The Padres started to come to life in the bottom of the 6th.  Brett Wallace hit a two-run homer of his own to cut the Oakland lead to three at 5-2.  It looked like Cory Spangenberg was going to unload the bases, but he grounded into a double play instead and the Padres left three more men on base.

The A’s made them pay the next inning.  Franklin Barreto hit his 2nd homer in as many days--a blast to left field--to give the A’s a four run lead at 6-2.

In the bottom of the 7th, Hunter Renfroe brought the Friars to within two with a triple to arrow the deficit to 6-4.

In the bottom of the 9th, newcomer Trae Santos from the Dominican Republic narrowed the deficit to one run with a solo homer to make the score 6-5, but that would be all the Friars could manage.  The Padres had an issue with getting men home, stranding 12 runners in scoring position.