Gavin Sheets and Lucas Giolito lead the Padres past the Mariners 8-3 for season sweep

SEATTLE (AP) — Gavin Sheets homered twice and drove in four runs, Lucas Giolito won his San Diego debut and the Padres beat the Seattle Mariners 8-3 on Sunday to sweep their six-game season series.

Giolito, who signed a one-year contract with San Diego in April, was called up from Double-A San Antonio before the game to make his first start of the year. The veteran right-hander allowed only one hit, but was lifted after issuing three consecutive walks to begin Seattle’s three-run sixth inning.

Giolito (1-0) was otherwise strong, aside from hitting Mariners shortstop J.P. Crawford in the right triceps with a fastball in the third. Crawford exited in the fifth and was replaced by Leo Rivas.

Sheets gave the Padres a 1-0 advantage with a homer to right field off George Kirby (5-3) in the first. The outfielder then pounced on a hanging changeup from Kirby in the sixth, smacking it into the right-field bleachers for a two-run shot. Sheets added an RBI double in the seventh and finished 3 for 3 with two walks.

San Diego scored five runs against Kirby in the sixth to break open the game. Jackson Merrill had an RBI double and Ty France plated a pair with a two-out single that made it 7-0.

France had three hits and three RBIs, including a run-scoring single in the fifth.

Mariners third baseman and top prospect Colt Emerson made his major league debut and reached base for the first time in the sixth with a leadoff walk against Giolito. Emerson, a natural shortstop, played a clean third base in place of utilityman Brendan Donovan, who landed on the 10-day injured list with a left groin strain.

Up next

Padres RHP Michael King (3-2, 2.63 ERA) faces Dodgers RHP Yoshinobu Yamamoto (3-3, 3.60) in San Diego on Monday night.

Mariners right-hander Bryan Woo (3-2, 3.91 ERA) starts Monday night against Chicago White Sox lefty Noah Schultz (2-2, 4.91).

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb