Padres 6, Indians 2: Friars keep one-upping AL “champions”

If the Tribe want a duel on the mound, they get one. If they want to score 2 runs, the Friars will score 6. If they want to run on a cannon in right, they’ll be gunned down at the plate. If they want to get 14 hits, we’ll induce ground balls and turn double plays all day.

Luis Perdomo showed that he could somewhat handle the reigning American League champs. He worked his way through some potentially ugly innings, and despite getting smacked twice with comeback grounders, used 9 groundouts to sneak his way through a 5 inning start allowing only 2 runs, one unearned. He threw 90 pitches, 57 for strikes (4 K’s) and walked 0.

A bullpen outing from Ryan Buchter, Phil Maton, Brad Hand, and Craig Stammen commanded the remainder of the game zipping out the Tribe’s offensive hopes yet again. Padres pitching left 9 runners stranded and kicked the Indians’ failure to execute with RISP even higher this series.

The defense turned two double plays, and stunts like a perfectly timed hop from Erick Aybar kept tense innings in check.

Then, you got dudes like Jose Ramirez willing to test the arm from a young Friar out of the National League, either out of over-confidence or eagerness to wrap up the game as quickly as possible.

On offense, you’ve got Jose Pirela using that unholy DH spot to the best of his ability by going 3-for-5 with his first triple of the season, an RBI at that.

Meanwhile, Carlos Asuaje is terrorizing the Tribe at the bottom of the lineup going 3-for-4 with 2 RBI, and Corey Spangenberg is popping 2-run insurance homers when he pleases:

It feels good when the club has clicked for a series. This young crew has done something no other Padres team has been able to, which is winning a series against the Cleveland Indians (reminder: a team that is coming off a championship run.)

At the end of the series, we can worry about Austin Hedge’s stiff neck and how Wil Myers hasn’t seemed to do much. For now, let’s enjoy 13 hits, 6 runs, and a series win, and trust in another quality start from Dinelson Lamet to take the broom for the Pads to this division leader.