Conforto's grand slam helps carry Giants to victory over Padres
SAN DIEGO -- Michael Conforto hit a grand slam, rookie Jung Hoo Lee hit his first big league home run and Jordan Hicks won his San Francisco debut as the Giants beat Dylan Cease and the San Diego Padres 9-6 on Saturday.
The Giants led 3-1 on just two hits going into the eighth before taking a 9-1 lead. Lee, who signed with the Giants after playing seven seasons in South Korea, homered to right-center with one out. The next six Giants batters reached base, with Wilmer Flores hitting an RBI single before Conforto sent his second career grand slam sailing over right fielder Fernando Tatis Jr.'s head and into the seats. All the damage was off lefty Tom Cosgrove. The Giants finished with nine hits.
San Diego closed the gap in the ninth on a two-run homer by Eguy Rosario and a three-run shot by rookie Graham Pauley for his first big league hit.
Hicks (1-0), who signed as a free agent on Jan. 18, was so effective that Cease (0-1) received no run support in going 4 2/3 innings in his Padres debut. He was acquired in a trade with the Chicago White Sox on March 13.
The three hits Hicks allowed were all singles to load the bases with one out in the fourth. Hicks then struck out Tyler Wade before rookie Jackson Merrill lined out to shortstop Nick Ahmed to end the threat.
Hicks struck out six and walked one.
Cease allowed two runs, three earned, and two hits in 4 2/3 innings while striking out six and walking two.
The Giants jumped on Cease for two runs in the second before second baseman Xander Bogaerts made a nice diving catch of Ahmed's liner to save a run and end the inning. Wilmer Flores walked and Michael Conforto hit a bloop double to left with one out before Thairo Estrada hit a sacrifice fly. Tom Murphy followed with an RBI double.
The Giants added an unearned run in the fifth thanks to an error by Tatis, who won a Gold Glove Award and the NL's Platinum Glove Award last year. Tom Murphy walked with one out and took third when Ahmed's fly ball bounced off Tatis' glove. Lee followed with a sacrifice fly.
Giants reliever Taylor Rogers allowed Jake Cronenworth's two-out RBI double in the sixth.
The game started on time at 4:15 p.m. despite heavy morning rain. The sun was out by the sixth inning.
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Giants haven't announced a starter for Sunday's game while the Padres will go with RHP Michael King (1-0).