Guardians Defeat Padres 7-1 in Cactus League Matchup
Goodyear, AZ – The Cleveland Guardians continued their strong spring training performance with a 7-1 victory over the San Diego Padres on Saturday at Goodyear Ballpark. This win marks the Guardians’ third consecutive victory and improves their spring record to 8-8.
Early Lead for Cleveland
The Guardians quickly established a lead in the first inning. Steven Kwan led off with a triple and subsequently scored on a sacrifice fly by George Valera, giving Cleveland a 1-0 advantage.
Hoskins Homers, Guardians Extend Lead
Cleveland extended their lead in the fourth inning when Rhys Hoskins hit a two-run home run, his first as a Guardian. The Guardians added four more runs in the fifth inning, with RBIs from Kyle Manzardo and Brayan Rocchio and another hit from Hoskins, increasing their lead to 7-1. Hoskins finished the day 2-for-3 with four RBI, while José Ramírez also went 2-for-3.
King Struggles in Start for Padres
San Diego Padres starter Michael King had a challenging outing, allowing one run in the first inning after Kwan’s triple. He finished the game with 3.2 innings pitched, allowing three earned runs on three hits, with two strikeouts. East Village Times noted King’s changeup was a highlight, but his fastball location was inconsistent.
Bullpen Struggles for Padres
Relief pitchers Garrett Hawkins and Carter Loewen also struggled, each allowing two runs in 0.2 innings pitched.
Padres Offense Falls Short
Despite recording 10 hits, the Padres offense could only manage one run, scored by Bryce Johnson in the third inning. Nine of the Padres’ hits were singles, with Ty France’s double being the only extra-base hit. Freddy Fermin and Johnson were the most productive hitters for the Padres, each going 2-for-3.
Guardians Pitching Shines
Guardians starter Slade Cecconi earned the win, pitching 4.0 innings and allowing one earned run on five hits with three strikeouts. The Guardians bullpen continued to dominate, with Daniel Espino, Shawn Armstrong, Colin Holderman, Peyton Pallette, and Franco Aleman combining for five scoreless innings. Espino recorded three strikeouts, while Armstrong and Holderman each had two.
Looking Ahead
The Guardians will continue their spring training schedule on Sunday, March 8, against the Colorado Rockies at Salt River Fields. First pitch is scheduled for 1:10 p.m. MST (4:10 p.m. EDT). Cleveland 19 News reports the game will be a continuation of the Guardians’ hot streak in Cactus League play.