When the San Diego Padres added veteran pitcher Seth Lugo before the season, not much was expected of the 33-year-old right-hander.
However, Lugo has exceeded all expectations, he's been a super pickup, stacking innings, picking up wins and a huge part of one of Major League Baseball's best starting staffs.
Lugo was rock solid again Wednesday, striking out 4, allowing just 3 hits and pitching 6 shutout innings against the Marlins in a 4-0 San Diego victory.
Facing Marlins ace Sandy Alcantara the Padres scored in the first inning as Ha-Seong Kim came home on a Juan Soto single for a 1-0 San Diego lead.
In the 6th, the Padres increased the advantage to 3-0 compliments of a 2-run homer by Xander Bogaerts. The 427-foot homer jumped off Bogaerts' bat and landed well beyond the wall in left-center field. It was Bogaerts' 14th home run of the season.
The Padres added a 4th run on an RBI single by Fernando Tatis Jr. in the 7th inning. With Garret Cooper on 2nd base, Tatis singled to right field and Cooper ran through a stop sign from 3rd base coach Matt Williams before sliding safely in to make it 4-0 Padres
Reliever Robert Suarez was ejected for allegedly having a foreign substance on his left wrist during warmups in the eighth inning. He'll be hit with a 10-game suspension, which he has the opportunity to appeal, according to MLB rules.
The Padres are off Thursday, then start a road trip with a Friday game in Milwaukee against the NL Central-leading Brewers.
