Ahhhh, the San Diego Padres.

Every season seems to start the same. Hopes are high, expectations are low.

But no one could predict quite how well that would be illustrated in the team’s season opener in Los Angeles against the Dodgers on Monday. Facing a pitching titan in Clayton Kershaw and a rival city (the same one that just took the Chargers from San Diego), the Padres gave fans a teeny tiny glimmer of hope before ripping their hearts out like only the Padres can.

Let the fans explain for themselves.


Ahead of the game, as they are every year, the friar faithful were excited for baseball to officially be back.

SD's only professional team starts today. Thank you @Padres pic.twitter.com/dxw28lnuS4 — Fr. Simon Esshaki (@fathersimon3) April 3, 2017

#OpeningDay "Feels like the first day of school and the last day all in one" #Padres — Porfirio Díaz (@HiFiRecording) April 3, 2017


Then, in the top of the first inning, Yangervis Solarte hit a beauty to left field to score in Padres star Wil Myers, putting the team up 1-0. Fans were a combination of shocked and proud.

THE PADRES HAVE SCORED A RUN — Adam Petersen (@DataGetsDegrees) April 3, 2017


I'm so glad the Padres scored at least one run for the 1st week of Baseball — Tony "Award Winning Graphic Designer" Losoya (@TonyLosoya89) April 3, 2017

Pretty sure the #Padres have already scored more runs in 2 innings today than they did in the entire 1st week last year — Paul Reindl (@PaulReindlSD) April 3, 2017

Padres fans were L.I.V.I.N.G. for that whole first inning.

PADRES GONNA WIN?



I mean... psh... of course they can win. Never doubted them for a second — Andrew Sedensky (@asedensky) April 3, 2017


IT FELT SO GOOD TO BE WINNING.


This team will not be intimidated.#Padres — Mickey Koke (@mickeykoke) April 3, 2017

But then the Dodgers tied it up 1-1 in the second inning.

Padres are still in this … right?


Nope.

Third inning: Bases loaded? Grand. Slam.

Crushing reality check.


Game over.

Season over.

See you in 2018.#padres — Bernie "Doc El Cajon" Wilson (@berniewilson) April 3, 2017


Another home run? Sure. By the end of the third inning, it was 6-1.

It's going to be another long season for the Padres organization pic.twitter.com/vHVYbECZwk — Dee Jensen (@DeeJensen74) April 3, 2017

The San Diego Padres have been eliminated​ from postseason consideration. — Butch Hussein Rosser (@reallybutch) April 3, 2017

2017 Padres: as bad as advertised. — Grumpy Friar (@grumpyfriar) April 3, 2017


Basically, all you need to know about the rest of the game is that it was already 12-1 by the sixth inning.

Oh my god @Padres. Handing out home runs like you’re Oprah. You get a HR, and you get a HR. — eric (@edoz10) April 3, 2017


Chargers leave. Padres getting a beating on opening day. My heart hurts 😩💔 #SOS — Cassidy (Coleman) Williams (@cassidyleeann22) April 3, 2017

I don't expect you to win @Padres I jus want you to be watchable — Satoshi Nakamoto (@kanye_east_87) April 3, 2017

There were a few bright spots… Ryan Schimpf’s pretty homer in the seventh, the Manuel Margot double that scored in Travis Jankowski and brought the Padres’ score to 3...


Look on the bright side, @Padres! We scored 3!! #OpeningDay — Justin Agpaoa (@Twobucktin) April 3, 2017

But a two-run homer from the Dodgers in the eighth inning pretty much crushed the hopes and dreams of Padres fans for good.

is it necessary for the dodgers to score so many runs ...cmon the padres are never gonna catch up anyway lol 😂 — r (@rubivp) April 3, 2017

Look at the bright side, Padres fans. You’ve been here before.


You lost 15-0 to the Dodgers last year in the season opener. You survived then, you’ll survive again.

These Padres had no shot against Kershaw. Really, this is a heartwarming tale of some average guys who went out there and did their best. — David Lizerbram (@davidlizerbram) April 3, 2017

Wait, did these people really think the #Padres weren't going to be terrible?



They're going to be terrible. It's going to be fun! — John Gennaro (@johnmgennaro) April 3, 2017

That 15 minute stretch where the Padres had the lead... that's what dreams are made of. — Vidosic (@davidvidosic) April 3, 2017


How’d you feel about the first game of the season? Send us a gif at @sdutideas to let us know.

Email: abby.hamblin@sduniontribune.com

Twitter: @abbyhamblin


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