SAN DIEGO—From a pregame moment of silence to Fernando Tatis Jr.’s custom cleats, and a large heart in center field with the initials PS, the memory of Peter Seidler, the late owner of the San Diego Padres, was everywhere at Petco Park.
The Padres ultimately honored Seidler the best way they could Thursday by rallying to beat the San Francisco Giants 6—4 and spoil Bob Melvin’s return to San Diego.
Jake Cronenworth’s two-run double highlighted a four-run seventh inning for the Padres, and Tatis and Tyler Wade contributed heads-up baserunning. Coupled with a 15—11 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers for a two-game split last week in Seoul, South Korea, the Padres appear eager to put their 2023 flop behind them.
“Being able to bounce back, and right away, I feel that’s a good sign that this year is different,” said Xander Bogaerts, who had an RBI single in the seventh-inning rally. “We should forget about last year and continue to build on what we have going on right now. That’s a really good sign, a great indicator.”
While it was opening day for the Giants, the Padres are three games into their season.
Mr. Melvin managed the Padres for the past two seasons before leaving for the Giants with a year left on his contract. He led San Diego into the 2022 National League Championship Series and then presided over a disappointing season that included reports of an irreparable relationship with General Manager A.J. Preller. Mr. Melvin was replaced by Mike Shildt.
Mr. Seidler, who pledged hundreds of millions of dollars in an effort to bring a World Series title to his adopted hometown, died on Nov. 14 at age 63. His widow, Sheel, threw the ceremonial first pitch.
Tatis wore a pair of custom cleats with an image of Mr. Seidler on the sides.
“I feel they came out just perfect,” Tatis said. “It’s part of our story. He’s part of my story. The guy was with me, holding my back in my darkest moment, and cheering me the most when I was in the highest. Everything we’re doing this season is for Peter, and for the years to come, too.”
Mr. Seidler was in attendance on April 20 in Phoenix when Tatis returned from an 80-game suspension for a positive test for a performance-enhancing drug.
Jung Hoo Lee hit a go-ahead sacrifice fly in the seventh inning of his first big-league game to put the Giants ahead 3—2.
But the Padres responded in the bottom of the inning. Luis Campusano hit a leadoff single and took third on Wade’s single to right. Campusano scored on catcher Patrick Bailey’s errant throw when Wade stole second. Bogaerts hit a go-ahead RBI single two batters ahead of Cronenworth’s double.
Lee singled in the fifth for his first big-league hit, and then was promptly picked off first base. He played seven seasons in South Korea before signing a six-year, $113 million contract with the Giants. New San Francisco shortstop Nick Ahmed hit a tying RBI single ahead of Lee in the seventh, Ahmed’s second RBI hit of the day.
Padres newcomer Yuki Matsui (1–0) got the win and Robert Suarez pitched the ninth for his second save. He gave up a home run to Michael Conforto, who finished with three hits.
Giants relief pitcher Luke Jackson (0–1) left with an apparent back injury in the seventh after facing three batters and failing to get an out.
Padres ace Yu Darvish allowed one run and five hits while striking out seven and walking one over five innings in his second start this season.
Logan Webb, the 2023 National League Cy Young Award runner-up to new teammate Blake Snell, was perfect the first time through the order. He allowed two runs and five hits in six innings, with five strikeouts and two walks.
In the sixth, Tatis went from first to third on Cronenworth’s groundout down the first-base line. Tatis was stranded, but it impressed his new manager.
“Tati going first to third on a ball back to the first-base side, that was sexy. That was fun baseball,” Mr. Shildt said.
