14TH TIME IS THE CHARM; EATON'S WINLESS STREAK ENDS
Pads Starter Tosses 8 Strong, Homers
SAN DIEGO, June 21 (AP) - Adam Eaton's string of starts without a win to open
the season came to an end in his 14th try. The Padres right-hander fired
eight strong innings and hit a home run in San Diego's 3-2 victory over the
Seattle Mariners at Qualcomm Stadium. Eaton had dropped eight consecutive
decisions--the longest active streak in the major leagues--but pitched into the
ninth before giving way to Rod Beck who retired all three Mariners batters he
faced en route to his third save.
For Eaton, the start opened looking like many of his prior outings. After
retiring Ichiro Suzuki on a ground ball to third to open the game, Mark McLemore
reached on an infield single, stole second base and scored on Bret Boone's base
hit to right field. Boone then promptly stole second and scored on John
Olerud's single to left-center. Mike Cameron struck out but Randy Winn
grounded a single into left field, with Olerud advancing to second. Four
batters into the game and Eaton had yielded two runs on four hits. From
that point on, however, everything changed.
After retiring Ben Davis on a fielder's choice grounder to end the top of the
first, Eaton held the Mariners hitless for the remainder of the contest.
Boone drew a one-out walk in the third but was immediately erased when Olerud
grounded into a double play. Boone reached again, this time on third
baseman Sean Burroughs' error, with one out in the sixth but again was
eliminated by a double play grounder. Winn walked with one out in the
seventh, but was left stranded. Boone's lead-off walk in the ninth spelled
the end of Eaton's day, but Beck retired Olerud and Cameron on routine fly balls
and struck out Winn to end the game.
The Padres generated just enough offense, despite a plethora of baserunners off
Seattle starter Joel Pineiro, to pull out the win.
Trailing 2-0, San Diego tied the game in the bottom of the second. Gary
Bennett greeted Pineiro by grounding a single through the box to open the frame
and advanced to second on Donaldo Mendez's single to left. Eaton dropped
down a perfect bunt, beating the throw to first for a single to load the
bases. Pineiro struck out Mark Kotsay, but Mark Loretta's fly ball chased
Cameron to the warning track in center field. The sacrifice fly scored
Bennett and advanced Mendez to third with two outs. Ryan Klesko then
bounced a single through the right side of the infield, scoring Mendez to tie
the game.
It was still 2-2 in the fourth when Eaton, leading off the frame, guessed first
pitch fast ball from Pineiro and drove the offering over the left field fence
for a 3-2 Padres advantage.
San Diego threatened repeatedly after that, stranding 11 runners in eight
offensive innings, but couldn't add any insurance. Eaton and Beck,
however, were up to the task.
With Eaton securing his first victory of the season, Pedro Astacio of the New
York Mets holds the majors' longest active streak of decisions without a
win--seven. Astacio was placed on the disabled list on the June 1 and is
feared done for the year. The pitcher presently on an active roster with
the longest active streak (six) is Steve Trachsel, also of the Mets. Al
Leiter of the Mets and Gary Knotts of the Tigers are tied for the longest such
streak thus far this season--ten--but both put an end to those strings earlier
this month.
6/21/2003, Sea03-SD03, Qualcomm Stadium 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E LOB DP 2003 Mariners 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 4 2 4 0 2003 Padres 0 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 x 3 11 1 11 2 Mariners AB R H BI AVG Padres AB R H BI AVG Suzuki rf 4 0 0 0 .289 Kotsay cf 4 0 0 0 .277 McLemore ss 4 1 1 0 .189 Loretta 2b 4 0 1 1 .273 Boone,B 2b 2 1 1 1 .302 Klesko 1b 3 0 2 1 .245 Olerud 1b 4 0 1 1 .226 White,Ro lf 3 0 1 0 .294 Cameron cf 4 0 0 0 .278 Burroughs 3b 4 0 2 0 .284 Winn lf 3 0 1 0 .331 Nady rf 4 0 1 0 .295 Davis,B c 3 0 0 0 .244 Bennett c 4 1 1 0 .178 Cirillo 3b 2 0 0 0 .235 Mendez,D ss 4 1 1 0 .234 Mabry ph 1 0 0 0 .114 Eaton p 4 1 2 1 .125 Bloomquist 3b 0 0 0 0 .266 Beck p 0 0 0 0 .000 Pineiro p 2 0 0 0 .000 34 3 11 3 Soriano,R p 0 0 0 0 .000 Martinez,E ph 1 0 0 0 .293 Nelson p 0 0 0 0 .000 30 2 4 2 Mariners INN H R ER BB K PCH STR ERA Pineiro L 7-6 5.2 10 3 3 3 4 123 72 3.65 Soriano,R 1.1 1 0 0 0 3 14 12 4.50 Nelson 1.0 0 0 0 0 0 9 4 2.87 8.0 11 3 3 3 7 146 88 Padres INN H R ER BB K PCH STR ERA Eaton W 1-8 8.0 4 2 2 3 7 102 62 5.13 Beck S 3 1.0 0 0 0 0 1 9 6 4.70 9.0 4 2 2 3 8 111 68 Sea: Mabry batted for Cirillo in the 7th Bloomquist inserted at 3b in the 7th Martinez,E batted for Soriano,R in the 8th E-Winn, Davis,B, Burroughs. HR-Eaton(1). RBI-Boone,B(57), Olerud(29), Loretta(27), Klesko(29), Eaton(1). SB-McLemore(2), Boone,B(6), Winn(11), Kotsay(1), Nady(2). K-McLemore, Cameron 3, Winn, Davis,B, Cirillo, Pineiro, Kotsay, White,Ro, Nady, Bennett, Mendez,D 3. BB-Boone,B 2, Winn, Kotsay, Klesko, White,Ro. SF-Loretta. GWRBI: Eaton Temperature: 74, Sky: clear, Wind: out to right at 12 MPH. Attendance: 33,390 Game Time: 2:47