PITTSBURGH — Yu Darvish allowed three hits over seven dominant innings, Wil Myers drove in five runs and the San Diego Padres extended their strong start with a 6-2 win against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Monday night.
Darvish (1-0), acquired from the Chicago Cubs in December in hopes of helping San Diego chase down the World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers, struck out six and walked one in a crisp performance as the Padres won their fourth straight. The four-time All-Star worked efficiently, throwing 63 of 95 pitches for strikes and permitting just one runner past second base.
Myers hit a two-run homer to the bushes beyond center field in the sixth off 21-year-old reliever Luis Oviedo (0-1) to put San Diego in front to stay. Myers added a two-run single in the seventh and is batting .370 (10 for 27) during his seven-game hitting streak.
Phil Evans had an RBI double for the Pirates and Trevor Cahill worked five effective innings but Pittsburgh’s modest two-game winning streak ended.
Cahill, signed as a free agent a month ago and given a shot to fill out a patchwork Pirates rotation, bounced back from a rocky 2021 debut by matching Darvish nearly pitch for pitch. Cahill allowed one run on five hits with two walks and eight strikeouts, relying heavily on movement to offset a fastball that tops out at 91 mph.
While Cahill was solid, Darvish was masterful. Perhaps just as important for the Padres, he ate up 21 outs to give the bullpen a bit of a break. San Diego relievers entered the game having worked a major league-high 43 innings, including 8 1/3 in Texas on Sunday after starter Adrian Morejon left in the first with an injury.
Darvish made sure only light work was required Monday. His only hiccup came with two outs in the third when Adam Frazier singled and Evans followed with a double that tied the game. Darvish retired 14 of his final 15 batters in a start that mirrored most of the ones he made for the Cubs last season, when he went 8-3 with a 2.01 ERA to finish second in NL Cy Young Award voting behind Trevor Bauer.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Padres: Morejon was placed on the 10-day injured list with a left forearm strain and San Diego recalled RHP Nabil Crismatt from the alternate training site. The team hadn’t decided who will replace Morejon in the rotation. His next scheduled start was Friday at home against the Dodgers.
UP NEXT
Padres: Blake Snell (0-0, 1.86 ERA) will make his third start for San Diego after being acquired from Tampa Bay in the offseason. Snell lost his only career start against Pittsburgh, dropping a 6-2 decision on June 28, 2017. Only one player who appeared in that game remains with the Pirates: RF Gregory Polanco.
Pirates: Chad Kuhl (0-1, 6.43) will try to work past the fourth inning for the first time this season on Tuesday. Kuhl allowed five runs (four earned) in a loss to Cincinnati last Wednesday.
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