SAN DIEGO -- Off to the best start in franchise history, the Padres finalized a nine-year contract extension with Jackson Merrill on Wednesday morning. Before they even took the field, it was a storybook opening homestand.
They made sure it was a perfect one.
With their 5-2 victory over the Guardians at Petco Park, the Padres improved to 7-0 for the first time in franchise history -- another complete team victory in a homestand full of them.
“It’s just been great baseball all the way around,” said Fernando Tatis Jr., who had two more hits and a steal of home. “We have a great ballclub over here, and we came out of the gate on the right foot.”
In the process, the Padres kept the rival Dodgers close after L.A. started 8-0 following a walk-off win over the Braves on Wednesday. It’s just the fifth time in history two teams have started the same season with seven straight victories. And, since divisional play began in 1969, the first time they’ve come from the same division.
The Padres accomplished the feat with four victories over Atlanta on opening weekend, followed by three against Cleveland. They’ve pitched. They’ve slugged. They’ve run wild on the bases, and they’ve been nearly perfect on defense.
“It’s just good baseball every night,” said Padres manager Mike Shildt. “... We can beat you in a lot of different ways.”
Indeed, the Padres have been masters of situational ball over the season’s first week. But they mash, too, and Merrill offered a quick reminder with his second home run in as many games, putting San Diego on top, 4-0, in the third.
After the game, Merrill was asked to sum up his day. Sure, he’d guaranteed himself $135 million over the next nine years. But he insisted that wasn’t his focus.
“We're 7-0,” Merrill said. “If we didn't win that game today, I would've been pissed.”
Dylan Cease pitched 6 1/3 innings of one-run ball. Luis Arraez launched his first home run of the season. Jose Iglesias made a remarkable diving stop at third base, then threw from his backside to steal a hit from Jhonkensy Noel.
“Amazing [homestand],” Arraez said. “We’ve played really good baseball. We do the little things, and then that happens. When we do the little things, we win games.”
Arraez himself was at the center of one of those little things -- a perfectly executed first-and-third situation that resulted in Tatis’ steal of home. Arraez broke for second, thinking the Guardians wouldn’t throw through. For most of the series, they hadn’t.
When they did -- and when Arraez realized he was likely to become the final out of the inning -- he slammed on the brakes. Second baseman Daniel Schneeman turned and threw home to try to cut down the run. Tatis slid in safely, and Arraez cruised into second.
“We’re playing the game hard,” Tatis said. “We have been trying to since the first day. That’s why I’m hitting leadoff right now -- just to create chaos.”
Merrill has often summed up the Padres philosophy thusly (and did so again on Wednesday): “We apply pressure. We don't feel it.”
Nonetheless, after receiving a standing ovation from some corners of Petco Park, Merrill struck out in the second inning. Which clearly irked him.
"Striking out first at-bat, I was like, ‘Damn, this is how we're gonna go?’" Merrill said. "I had to come with something, had to give the fans something."
He gave them a second home run in 24 hours -- with a nine-year extension sandwiched in between. The Padres were on their way to a seventh straight victory, even if they would allow two late runs. (Until Wednesday, San Diego was the only team in the Majors that had yet to allow a run in the sixth inning or later.)
Shortly after Robert Suarez nailed down the save, the Padres packed their things and headed for Chicago, where they’ll open a three-game series against the Cubs on Friday. A happy flight, for sure.
The Padres had never started a season any better than 4-0, and they’d only even reached that mark once -- en route to the 1984 NL pennant. Now, they’ll be looking to double their previous record win streak to start a season.
And who knows what other unprecedented feats await the Padres after a start like this?
There’s a big one they’d like to check off the list about seven months from now.