PEORIA, Ariz. — The Padres beat the Angels 7-3 on Wednesday at Peoria Sports Complex, improving to 3-3 on the spring.

Batter’s box: Designated hitter Ty France won a challenge on a strike-three call before singling in a pair of runs for a 4-1 lead in the sixth inning. France went 1-for-3. … Center fielder Jackson Merrill checked in with his first hit of the spring, a double in two at-bats. … Third baseman Manny Machado walked and scored a run in the seventh inning, but he was hitless in his other two plate appearances and is still looking for his first hit this spring. … Machado, shortstop Xander Bogaerts and right fielder Fernando Tatis Jr. — all headed to the World Baseball Classic this weekend — all played six innings in the field. Bogaerts went 0-for-3 and Tatis went 1-for-3. … Left fielder Ramón Laureano went 1-for-2. … Romeo Sanabria had a pinch-hit double and a run scored in a three-run ninth. … Shortstop Mason McCoy went 2-for-2 with a two-run double off the bench.

Balls and strikes: Right-hander Michael King made his Cactus League debut, striking out four over 2⅔ innings while allowing two hits, including a solo homer to Angels second baseman Christian Moore. Right-hander Alek Jacob got the final out of the third inning and struck out three of the four batters he faced. … Right-handers Logan Gillaspie and Ty Adcock and left-handers Kyle Hart and Jagger Haynes each threw a scoreless inning. Gillaspie struck out three. … Left-hander Omar Cruz allowed home runs to Jo Adell and Omar Martinez in the seventh inning.

Extra bases: Catching prospect Ethan Salas entered in the top of the sixth inning and immediately got an ABS-assist on a strikeout for Hart, challenging a ball call at the top of the zone. The replay review showed it nicked the zone, resulting in a strikeout of Raudi Rodriguez as the 19-year-old Salas pounded his fist into his glove. … Nick Castellanos’ crash course at first base resumed as a defensive replacement for Gavin Sheets in the top of the sixth inning. He promptly made his first error of the spring, throwing errantly to second base after Nolan Schanuel lined out to first base. … McCoy made a dazzling, spinning throw to record an out after replacing Bogaerts at shortstop to start the seventh inning.

On deck: Right-hander Nick Pivetta makes his first start of the spring at 12:05 p.m. Thursday against the Reds in Goodyear, Ariz.