Alonso's homer gives Padres win over Mariners
SEATTLE (AP) -- Jason Marquis stood on the mound at Safeco Field five weeks ago wearing a Minnesota jersey.
He left without a win that day, and he left the Twins shortly after.
On Wednesday night, Marquis stood on the same mound in a San Diego uniform, earning a better result and what he hopes is a rebirth to his season.
Marquis pitched 6 1-3 innings and combined with three relievers on an eight-hitter as the Padres rode a seventh-inning homer by Yonder Alonso to beat the Seattle Mariners 1-0.
Marquis (1-1) allowed six hits, walked four and struck out four.
"If you were to script out a Jason Marquis game, that's what it would look like," Padres manager Bud Black said. "Fastballs both sides of the plate. A good split-fingered pitch, a good slider. Knew how to work his way through a lineup."
Marquis started the season on the bereavement list after his daughter was seriously injured in an accident. The Twins designated him for assignment May 22, two days after he allowed eight runs in 1? innings against Milwaukee.
He hopes to repay San Diego for the chance it is giving him.
"I'm excited about the opportunity. I'm going to come here and try to bring some veteran knowledge," Marquis said. "At the same time, I feel I have a lot left in the tank to be a successful major league pitcher."
Alonso hit his second homer of the season -- and seventh of his career -- on the first pitch of the seventh inning from starter Hector Noesi.
Noesi (2-7) allowed one run and five hits in seven innings. He had allowed 12 earned runs in his previous two outings combined.
"I tried to keep my pitches down 0-2, because, before, I leave pitches up 0-2," Noesi said. "Tonight, I throw all my pitches down (with two strikes)."
Marquis left with the bases loaded and one out in the seventh after a walk to John Jaso, a single by Casper Wells and an error by Alonso at first base when he dropped a routine throw from second baseman Alexi Amarista.
"I was praying to God a thousand times in five minutes," Alonso said. "I was just `Please God, get me out of this.' I wanted to dig a hole and just hang in there until we got out of this. It's going to happen to everybody at least one time in your career."
Joe Thatcher, who came in specifically to face left-handed hitters Tuesday and allowed a home run and double before being removed, was called on again.
He got Ichiro Suzuki to ground into a fielder's choice and struck out Dustin Ackley looking to survive the inning.
"Joe came in in a tough spot, against one of the best hitters of this generation," Black said. "Threw a pitch up and away that I've seen Ichiro have trouble with."
Padres reliever Luke Gregerson worked out of an eighth-inning jam. Justin Smoak flied out to center after an eight-pitch at-bat with a runner on first. Michael Saunders singled to left, advancing pinch-runner Chone Figgins to third with two outs. But Gregerson struck out Jaso to keep Seattle off the board.
Huston Street pitched the ninth for his seventh save.
The Padres loaded the bases with no outs in the ninth against Brandon League. He struck out Cameron Maybin on three pitches and then got Nick Hundley to ground into a 5-2-3 double play.
Noesi temporarily lost command in the fourth, walking consecutive hitters before getting a groundout from Alonso. He struck out the side in the first and got an unassisted double play from Ackley in the third.
The Padres didn't get their second hit of the game until there were two outs in the fifth. Amarista singled, but was thrown out by Jesus Montero trying to steal second.
Wednesday was the second time Marquis has faced Seattle this year in as many uniforms. He started against the Mariners for the Minnesota Twins on May 5, allowing four runs over six innings 5 at Safeco Field.
The Mariners put at least one runner on base against Marquis in every inning, but could not score.
NOTES: The Mariners placed OF Mike Carp and RHP Stephen Pryor on the 15-day DL and optioned RHP Blake Beavan and IF Alex Liddi to Triple-A Tacoma on Wednesday. They recalled OF Franklin Gutierrez, OF Casper Wells, RHP Steve Delabar and RHP Erasmo Ramirez to replace them. . Gutierrez is expected to play his first game of the season on Thursday. . After going hitless his first seven games, Padres IF Everth Cabrera hit .355 in his next 18 games.