Mike Montgomery is on a roll with the Mariners. (Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports)
SAN DIEGO — Rookie Mike Montgomery threw a one-hitter for his second consecutive shutout, leading the Seattle Mariners to a 5-0 win over the San Diego Padres on Tuesday night.
Montgomery (3-2) walked four, hit a batter and struck out seven in his sixth career start. The left-hander, who turns 26 on Wednesday, fired a five-hitter against the Kansas City Royals on June 23.
San Diego’s only hit came with one out in the seventh inning when third baseman Yangervis Solarte laced a double to left field. Montgomery escaped the jam when retiring second baseman Jedd Gyorko and center fielder Melvin Upton Jr.
Last year at Triple-A Durham, Montgomery was part of a combined no-hitter with former Padres right-hander Brad Boxberger.
Montgomery, who threw a career-high 113 pitches, became the seventh Mariner to record consecutive shutouts. He is the 12th major league rookie since 1980 to accomplish the feat.
The Mariners backed Montgomery with home runs from catcher Mike Zunino and shortstop Brad Miller.
Padres starter Ian Kennedy (4-7) surrendered four runs on five hits and two walks in five innings.
Seattle (35-42) turned in two outfield defensive gems in supporting Montgomery.
Center fielder Austin Jackson made a nice catch on Melvin Upton’s sinking line drive in the fifth. Left fielder Seth Smith made an over-the-shoulder catch on left fielder Justin Upton’s drive in the seventh, just before Solarte broke up the no-hitter.
The Padres, who have lost two straight and five of eight, were blanked for the 12th time this year. At 37-42, they fell five games under .500 for the second time.
Seattle opened the scoring in the third inning on Zunino’s one-out homer over the left field fence. Zunino redirected Kennedy’s 92 mph fastball for his ninth homer of the season. First baseman Logan Morrison followed with a two-out triple, but second baseman Robinson Cano struck out.
The Mariners increased their lead to 4-0 in the fourth inning, with Miller’s two-run homer the key blow.
Earlier in the fourth, center fielder Austin Jackson’s RBI single drove in third baseman Kyle Seager, who reached on a leadoff single. Miller’s shot into the second deck in right field was his seventh of the year.
Fantasy Update: Montgomery should be considered in daily leagues now that he’s proven capable. We give you permission to start him and let him rock ‘n’ roll after a hot start.
NOTES: Padres 2B Jedd Gyorko was recalled from Triple-A El Paso after being demoted on June 10, which followed him losing his job to Cory Spangenberg. … Spangenberg was placed on the DL with a sore left knee. … San Diego INF Will Middlebrooks didn’t start due to a sprained ankle but appeared as a sub. … Mariners RHP Felix Hernandez is fine despite exiting his last start following six innings because of heat exhaustion. … With All-Star balloting ending Thursday, Mariners DH Nelson Cruz has eclipsed Kansas City’s Kendry Morales for a starting spot on the AL team. … Struggling Seattle 2B Robinson Cano was No. 2 in the batting order for sixth time. He batted third in 67 games.
