San Diego Padres Jurickson Profar connects for a grand slam home run in the top of the first inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco to help defeat the San Francisco Giants 4-0 on Sat Apr 6, 2024 (AP News photo)

San Diego (5-6). 400 000 000 4 5 0

San Francisco (3-6). 000 000 000. 0 4 0

Time: 2:10

Attendance: 40,114

Saturday, April 6 San Francisco

By Lewis Rubman

SAN FRANCISCO–Fresh from yesterday’s exhilarating home opener triumph over San Diego, the Giants had hopes of clinching their first series win of 2024 and bringing them to within a game of 500 in front of another sellout crowd, this time one of 40,114.

Keaton Winn, a 26 year old righter in the process of converting from the bullpen to the rotation and possessor of a four pitch repertory, that includes a fastball rated by MLB’s Baseball Savant as in the 80th percentile, was SF’s starting pitcher, in his one previous appearance this season, he lost to the Dodgers on April Fools’ Day, having given up three runs, all earned, on four hits in a was as the losing pitcher in an 8-3 game. His names conjure up two of the greatest stars of America’s golden age of comedy, but the rookie, although he pitched well, was in serious trouble from almost the outset of what turned out to be a 4-0 loss.

The Padres opted for another righty who has oscillated between the roles of starter and reliever, sending 28 year old Michael King and his career MLB record of 14-17, 3.46 and WHIP of 1.22 to the mound.

Any residual giddiness the Giants may have carried over from yesterday dissipated in the 55º light of the top of the first inning. Xander Bogaerts led off with a pop fly that fell to the grass just in front of center fieder Jung-Hoo Lee, who seemed to be having trouble with the sun or wind or both.

It looked as though Winn would get out of the inning unscathed after he disposed of Fernando Tatís, Jr. and Jake Croenworth on a fly to center and a strikeout. But the Friars filled the bases with Manny Machado’s single to left and a full count walk to Ha-Seong Kim. The veteran Jurickson Profar promptly seized the opportunity to send Winn’s first offering over the right field wall, landing 347′ from the plate, the third grand slam of Profar’s 10 year career.

Winn got tagged with the loss even though he didn’t allow a hit or a run, just two walks, for the rest of his tenure, which came to a total of six innings. He was helped by a grand leaping catch that Lee made at the center field fence off Jackson Merrill’s drive in the top of the fifth.

The youngster’s ERA rose to a deceptively high 5.73. His pitch count reached 80, 55 for strikes. Laden Loup, another right handed rookie, replaced him to open the top of the seventh.

Loup kept the Pads off the board, yielding only a single to Luis Campusano, and gave way to yet another rookie righty, Nick Avila, for the eighth and ninth. In the eighth, he reprised Loup’s seventh; the only Padre who reached base safely was Fernando Tatís, who singled to right. He retired the side in order in the ninth. King was majestic in his seven innings of work.