Venezuelan-heavy lineup sets Padres record

SAN FRANCISCO -- The Padres made a bit of history during Monday's 4-0 victory over the Giants, tying a Major League record with five Venezuelan-born players in their starting lineup.
Luis Sardiñas, Yangervis Solarte, Héctor Sánchez, Oswaldo Arcía and Alexi Amarista were all penciled onto the lineup card Monday, making the Padres the first team with five Venezuelan-born starters since the Arizona Diamondbacks did so on July 24, 2014. It also marked the first such occurrence in Padres franchise history.
"You feel really good about it," Solarte said. "It's just like playing at home. You don't see that all the time. Having everyone out here, I'm proud of it, and I'm proud for everyone to be a part of that."
The quintet of Padres certainly did their home country proud, driving in all four runs in the victory. Sanchez went 3-for-4 and slugged a two-run homer off Jeff Samardzija in the sixth inning. Solarte also knocked in a pair, and Sardinas added two hits.

"It's great," Sanchez said. "Being on the field with those guys, you enjoy the game. The way we play, we go to the field and we enjoy the game. That's important.
"When you see those guys coming up, doing the best they can do, I feel proud as a Venezuelan. Those guys come out, are fighting battles to be here. It's amazing."
Sanchez, a former Giant, has been a part of two other Venezuelan baseball firsts. He was one of a record nine Venezuelan players on the rosters for the 2012 World Series, and he was one of a record 10 Venezuelan players to participate in a single game -- a June 20, 2014, clash between San Francisco and Arizona.