CARATINI’S BAT SENDS PADRES TO VICTORY

Two-run homer in seventh inning the difference vs. Giants

Life without Fernando Tatis Jr., however long that is, will go a lot smoother, as Padres manager Jayce Tingler put it, if nine, 10 or 11 guys collectively pick up the slack.

Three or four were good enough on Tuesday night.

Yu Darvish certainly carried his weight in his second start, striking out seven Giants through six innings and batterymate Victor Caratini gave the Padres the lead for good in the seventh inning via his first home run in a San Diego uniform en route to 3-1 victory.

Caratini’s blast off former Padres prospect Matt Wisler was preceded by fill-in shortstop Ha-seong Kim’s oneout walk, the Padres’ first free pass of the game.

Eric Hosmer accounted for all of Darvish’s support, his run-scoring single in the third giving the Padres just their fourth hit in their last 18 chances with runners in scoring position.

They were 1-for-7 on Sunday and Monday in losing their first games of the season by a total of three runs.

Before Caratini’s homer, three of the Padres’ first six hits did not leave the infield.

Caratini grounded into a double play with runners on the corners in the second inning and Wil Myers struck out with runners on first and third to end the third after Hosmer drove in his seventh run, tied with Caratini for the team lead.

“We’ve certainly had opportunities,” Tingler said Tuesday afternoon. “The guys have been doing a great job of creating run opportunities. We’re one blooper here or there of being able to get some runs on the board and we’d really be sitting in a good spot.”

The first hit that Darvish allowed left the yard off Brandon Crawford’s bat in the second inning. He allowed two other singles, walked just one and threw 55 of his 89 pitches for strikes

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