Jason Vargas completes third shutout as Seattle Mariners defeat San Diego Padres 6-0 – MLB Update
Jason Vargas was in top pitching form on Friday, July 1 as he directed the Seattle Mariners to a forceful 6-0 win over the San Diego Padres at Safeco Field in Seattle, Washington.
Vargas pitched a six-hit game shut-out to record four career complete games and his third shut-out this season. He struck-out seven batters and walked none as the Padres were annihilated by a strong team performance by the Mariners.
The left-hand pitcher used all he had in his strong arms and was duly awarded with his sixth win of the season. His win-loss record for the season now stands at 6-5. With the current season midway, Vargas has 75 strike-outs so far and given his form, he
is very much capable of crossing the 100 strike-outs barrier.
Jason’s opposite number, Dustin Moseley from the Padres could not match what Vargas had achieved. Moseley managed to pitch in just over four innings in which he conceded five runs and seven hits. This lacklustre performance compelled the manager to bring
on a relief pitcher in the midst of the fifth inning. Anthony Bass took over the reins but the damage which had already been inflicted by the Mariners’ batters, as the Padres failed to stage a come-back.
Among the batters, Brendan Ryan and Justin Smoak were in the forefront. Combined, they added four of the total six runs, the other two coming from Ichiro Suzuki and Adam Kennedy.
Ryan opened the scoring early in the first inning before the Mariners had a bash in the third inning. Suzuki, Kennedy and Smoak added runs in the third inning to launch an all-out assault on the Padres.
Smoak added another in the fifth inning before Ryan added insult to injury in the sixth inning by scoring the sixth run for the Mariners. With Vargas firing in on the plate in chorus, there seemed little chance if any that the Padres would get a chance to
respond. Their bullpen was in complete disarray and there was no reason why it should not have been.
Coming into this game, the Padres were enjoying a four-game winning streak. After the game, they had lost in all four encounters versus the Mariners this season. With two games still to be played, it will be interesting how the Padres work to break this
magical spell.
The Mariners now have nine shut-outs this season and San Diego has been shut-out 13 times this season, the most in the Major League. Vargas now is the only pitcher to record three shut-outs at the Safeco Field in the same season.
The next game between both sides is scheduled for Saturday, July 2. The Padres have an injury concern with their second baseman Orlando Hudson out due to an apparent leg injury. Meanwhile, they have good news as Aaron Harang is showing a good recovery after
his stint on the disabled list.
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