Nick Pivetta pitched seven dominant innings, Elias Diaz hit a two-run homer and the visiting San Diego Padres (17-7) downed the Detroit Tigers (14-10), 2-0 on Tuesday night.
Pivetta (4-1) allowed just two hits and walked two while striking out six. Jason Adam pitched the eighth and Robert Suarez got the last three outs for his 10th save.
Tigers starter Jack Flaherty (1-2) gave up two runs and five hits in six innings. He struck out nine and walked none while throwing 96 pitches.
Bailey Horn got four outs and Chase Lee, making his major league debut, tossed 1 2/3 innings.
Only one Tiger reached second base as Greyber Torres walked and stole second with two outs in the first inning. But he was stranded on a Spencer Torkelson foul out.
San Diego scored in the top of the second. Xander Bogaerts singled as the leadoff hitter. Flaherty struck out the next two batters before Diaz lofted a knuckle curve over the left field wall for his first homer this season.
Tigers catcher Dillon Dingler had a two-out single in the bottom of the inning but Trey Sweeney then flied out.
San Diego put at least one runner on base in all but the seventh inning. Fernando Tatis Jr. reached on an error by shortstop Sweeney with one out in the third. A strikeout and popout left Tatis stranded.
Jose Iglesias had a two-out single in the top of the fourth. Diaz then hit into a fielder’s choice. In the bottom of the inning, Justyn-Henry Malloy had a two-out single, but Jace Jung then grounded out.
Tyler Wade led off the fifth with a single but Flaherty responded by recording two strikeouts and a flyout. Sweeney drew a one-out walk in the bottom of the frame but the next two batters couldn’t advance him.
Oscar Gonzalez had a two-out single in the sixth before Flaherty ended his night by inducing an Iglesias groundout.
Tirso Ornelas, Iglesias was hit by a pitch and Wade walked to load the bases with two out in the ninth. Lee then fanned Mason McCoy for his first major league strikeout.
Suarez retired the Tigers in order in the ninth inning.
The two teams have split the first two games of the series.
