From a moment of silence before the game to Fernando Tatis Jr.’s personalized cleats and a large heart in center field with PS initials, the memory of late Padres owner Peter Seidler was evident everywhere at Petco Park.
The Padres paid tribute to Seidler by rallying to beat the San Francisco Giants 6-4 and spoiling Bob Melvin’s return to San Diego.
Jake Cronenworth’s two-run double was the highlight of a four-run seventh inning for the Padres, with heads-up baserunning from Tatis and Tyler Wade also playing a role. After a two-game split last week in Seoul, South Korea, where they defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers 15-11, the Padres seem motivated to move past their struggles in 2023.
Xander Bogaerts, who had an RBI single in the seventh-inning rally, said, “Being able to bounce back right away is a good sign that this year is different. We should forget about last year and continue to build on what we have going on right now. That’s a good sign, a great indicator.”
While it was the Giants’ opening day, the Padres had already played three games.
Melvin managed the Padres for two seasons before joining the Giants, leading them to the 2022 NL Championship Series before a disappointing 2023 season. Seidler, who aimed to bring a World Series title to San Diego, passed away on Nov. 14 at age 63. His widow, Sheel, threw the ceremonial first pitch.
Tatis wore custom cleats with Seidler’s image, saying, “It’s part of our story; he’s part of my story. Everything we’re doing this season is for Peter, and for the years to come, too.”
Lee hit a sacrifice fly in his first big league game, giving the Giants a 3-2 lead in the seventh. But the Padres responded, with Campusano scoring on a throwing error and Bogaerts hitting an RBI single, setting up Cronenworth’s double.
Padres newcomer Yuki Matsui earned the win, and Robert Suarez got the save despite giving up a late home run.
Padres ace Yu Darvish allowed one run in his second start this season, while Logan Webb allowed two runs in six innings for the Giants. Tatis impressed with his aggressive baserunning, signaling a promising approach for the rest of the season.
