MESA, Ariz. -- Jabari Blash and Alexei Ramirez hit two-run homers in the sixth inning, and the Padres took advantage of Jorge Soler's misadventures in left field to post a 10-2 victory over the Cubs on Monday at Sloan Park.
Reigning National League Cy Young Award winner Jake Arrieta gave up a run on two hits and two walks over four innings in his second Cactus League start. Arrieta struck out five, and now has fanned nine over six innings this spring. The right-hander walked Derek Norris to start the second inning on four consecutive pitches, which was sort of intentional.
"I wanted to pitch with guys on base," Arrieta said. "I wanted to work on pitching from the stretch with good timing, good rhythm, good tempo. It was nice to have a guy like Jemile [Weeks] on base, a guy who's fast, a guy who I had to vary some times and who I had to pick over."
Weeks collected the first hit off Arrieta with a leadoff single in the third.
"[The walk] was intentionally unintentional, I guess, in the second, but a good situation to work on," Arrieta said.
Colin Rea, who is competing for a spot in the Padres' rotation, walked three and gave up one run on one hit over four innings. He hadn't allowed a run all spring entering the outing, and he had only allowed four hits over five innings. But he got to work out of the stretch quite a bit on Monday, which he saw as a positive.
"I felt like I needed to get in those situations, because you're not going to be your best every time out," Rea said. "It's definitely [good] to get in those situations during Spring Training so you're used to them during the season."
The Cubs took a 1-0 lead in the first on Kris Bryant's two-out RBI double off the left-field wall, but the Padres tied the game in the third when Weeks singled, stole second, and scored one out later on a Jon Jay double that Soler misplayed.
In the San Diego fifth, Travis Jankowski lined a single to left off Pierce Johnson that dropped in front of a sliding Soler, and rolled all the way to the warning track. Jankowski didn't stop running, and scored on the error to give the Padres a 2-1 lead. But the Cubs tied the game in their half on Dexter Fowler's RBI single.
Blash connected with two outs and one on in the sixth off Johnson, who then walked Alex Dickerson to set up Ramirez's home run. Johnson allowed five runs on four hits in his two innings.
Cubs up next: Lefty Clayton Richard will make his first spring start on Tuesday when the Cubs travel to Peoria to face the Padres. The 3:10 p.m. CT matchup will be available live on MLB.TV and via an exclusive free audio webcast on Cubs.com. Richard is one of four relievers the Cubs want to stretch out this spring. Jon Lester, meanwhile, will pitch in a Minor League game at the Cubs' complex.
Padres up next: The Padres face the Cubs for the second consecutive day on Tuesday -- this time at home at the Peoria Sports Complex. The 1:10 p.m. PT tilt is available live on MLB.TV. Opening Day starter Tyson Ross will take the hill for the third time this spring. He's allowed two runs in five Cactus League innings. Tuesday also marks the first time Padres pitchers will bat in game action this spring.