Trevor Cahill breezed through the first two innings against the Texas Rangers while allowing only one baserunner, on a walk.
San Diego Padres manager Andy Green liked it.
"The first two innings, when you're watching, that's when you start thinking, 'This is the kind of stuff that runs through a game in shutout fashion, no-hit fashion,'" Green said after Cahill and three relievers held the Rangers to two hits in a 5-1 victory Monday night. "His stuff was that good."
Cahill (3-2) allowed one hit in 5⅓ scoreless innings to win his third decision over four starts. He was making his third start at Petco Park for his hometown Padres.
The right-hander didn't allow a hit until Carlos Gomez singled to left on a soft liner with one out in the fourth. Cahill struck out seven and walked five.
"At the beginning, he was about as sharp as I've seen any pitcher this year," Green said. "He had literally everything working the first couple of innings. He seemed to get out of sync the last few. It was a battle for him."
Cahill was backed by solo home runs from Ryan Schimpf, Austin Hedges and Cory Spangenberg.
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The Padres snapped a four-game losing streak.
Cahill was pulled after he walked Elvis Andrus and hit Gomez with a pitch with one out in the sixth. Brad Hand came on and struck out Joey Gallo and Jonathan Lucroy. Ryan Buchter and Brandon Maurer each pitched a perfect inning to finish up.
Hand allowed Shin-Soo Choo's solo homer to left with one out in the seventh, his fourth.
Cahill got all the offense he needed from Schimpf and Hedges.
Schimpf doubled to right off Nick Martinez (0-2) leading off the second, was sacrificed by Hunter Renfroe and scored on Hedges' infield single. Manuel Margot added an RBI single.
Schimpf homered to right with two outs in the third, his ninth, and Hedges homered to straightaway center leading off the fourth, his seventh.
Spangenberg hit his first homer to right with one out in the seventh.
"It's fun when everyone's clicking," Spangenberg said.
Martinez allowed four runs and eight hits over six innings, with four strikeouts and one walk.
The Rangers have lost seven of nine.
"We're going to get out of this thing, we're going to come busting through," Martinez said. "It's frustrating for me personally just because I know I can pitch better."
He Said It
Said Rangers manager Jeff Banister: "It's not being able to string at-bats together that has not allowed us to mount any offensive charge. Five walks and a hit batter, that was a plus tonight. There's no doubt there's an element of frustration out there with these guys. There's some definite frustration in the lack of success, the lack of putting runs in the inning together, just bringing enough hitters to the plate to really mount much of an offensive charge. These guys, when things are going right, that's what they do."
No Bibens-Dirkx — Yet
Austin Bibens-Dirkx was up in the bullpen at one point but didn't get in. The 32-year-old Rangers righty was promoted from Triple-A Round Rock on Sunday after 12 seasons in the minors. Bibens-Dirkx spent time in an independent league last year, and has played for 20 different teams during stints with six big league organizations.
No Matt Bush, Either
Bush is still waiting to make his San Diego debut as a major leaguer. Now 31, Bush recently became the closer for the Rangers. He made his big league debut last year after resurrecting a pro career derailed by alcoholism and a four-year prison sentence for a drunken driving accident in Florida that seriously injured a man. He was 18 when the hometown Padres made him the No. 1 overall pick in the 2004 draft and gave him a $3.15 million signing bonus.
New Outfielder
The Padres acquired OF Matt Szczur for minor league right-hander Justin Hancock. Szczur was designated for assignment Saturday to make roster room for a fresh arm in an overworked bullpen, a difficult choice for the Cubs. He hit .211 with three RBIs for Chicago this season. Green said Szczur will bounce around all three positions.
Up Next
Rangers: RHP A.J. Griffin (3-0, 3.54) will be facing his hometown Padres for the first time. He grew up in suburban El Cajon and pitched for Grossmont High and then the University of San Diego.
Padres: RHP Jered Weaver (0-3, 5.51) gave up a career-high 10 runs, only five earned, in his last start, Wednesday against Colorado. He's allowed 12 homers in six starts.
