Walker throws 1-hit ball for 6 innings, Mariners top Padres
SAN DIEGO (AP) — The Seattle Mariners were leading the San Diego Padres by a run through six innings when manager Lloyd McClendon decided 22-year-old Taijuan Walker had gone far enough, even with a shutout intact.
The Mariners then piled on against James Shields and the Padres' bullpen, winning 7-0 Wednesday in their second straight shutout against the Padres.
Walker said he was a bit surprised he came out, "but we had the opportunity to score, with this being against the National League, so we'll take all the runs we can get and we ended up scoring there."
The 37 hits are the most by an active player against an active pitcher.
Four hits with a home run, some ribbies and scored some runs, the manager said.
Interim manager Pat Murphy, who replaced the fired Bud Black on June 16, said: "Coming in new to the club, the thing that has shocked me is how tense everyone is."
Shields was pulled after walking the bases loaded with two outs in the seventh and Cano greeted Frank Garces with an RBI single.
Cruz followed by greeting Marcus Mateo with a two-run shot to left.
Shields allowed two runs and four hits in 6 2-3 innings, struck out seven and walked four.