Padres 8, White Sox 2: Let's just start the season now

Is there any reason to keep playing these spring training games? After today's 8-2 beatdown of the White Sox, it just seems like the Padres are ready to play games that count. James Shields was in fine form for his final start before Opening Day, throwing three scoreless innings and picking up a pair of strikeouts in the process. He didn't even need to be so on point, as he had considerable backup from his offense. The bats went 10 for 35 with a pair of homers and 4 walks.

Most of the scoring came early. In the first inning, Cameron Maybin and Yangervis Solarte hit a pair of singles to put a runner in scoring position with one out. Carlos Quentin followed with yet another single to plate Maybin and put the Padres on top. Venable kept the hit parade going, scoring Solarte and sending Quentin to third. Then Jedd Gyorko, whose bat has only just recently woken up, took Jeff Samardzija deep to left field.

After the early offensive outburst, both teams were quiet until the fifth inning. Yonder Alonso drew a two out walk off David Robertson, setting up Solarte for his second of three hits this afternoon, a bomb to center field. Chicago drew blood of their own in the bottom half of the inning, with a double and a single off Zack Segovia.

The Friars got that run right back, with Venable and Gyorko walking to start the sixth. A ground out advanced Venable to third, and a single by Clint Barmes plated the eighth and final Padres run of the afternoon. The White Sox got one more, hitting another double-single combo off Dale Thayer in the eighth.

The Padres have one more game in Peoria tomorrow, when Tyson Ross takes on the Brewers. First pitch is at 12:05 PM, and you can listen on MLB.com.

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