Framing the Friars: Lamet Roughed up Against Diamondbacks, Renfroe Goes Deep Twice
It was bound to happen. After two solid starts from Padres’ rookie, Dinelson Lamet, he was due for a poor start.
It happened in Lamet’s third start of the season, at the Arizona Diamondbacks on June 6. Arizona prevailed in the game, winning by a score of 10-2.
Hunter Renfroe had his second career multi-home run game.
Lamet went three-plus innings, allowing nine runs on three hits, issuing five walks. When he exited the game in the fourth inning, he had thrown 88 pitches. With this start, Lamet’s ERA has inflated to 6.92.
The Diamondbacks were teeing off on Lamet’s pitches from the start. Gregor Blanco led off the bottom of the first inning with a double off the wall in left field. Jose Pirela, who was recently called up from El Paso, was unable to track the high line drive.
Jake Lamb had a couple of big knocks off Lamet. With two on and one out in the first, Lamb hit a ball into the corner in right field for an RBI-double. Arizona took a 2-0 lead.
Lamb struck again in the bottom of the second. With the bases loaded and two outs, he hit a single into left-center field, driving in two more runs to extend Arizona’s lead to 4-0.
Chris Owings followed Lamb in the order. He hit a towering fly ball over the wall in left for a three-run shot. The lead became 7-0.
Lamet allowed the first two hitters in the fourth to reach base. He was removed from the game, and Miguel Diaz was brought in for relief. Diaz inherited those two runners, and allowed them both to score, to leave Lamet with nine earned runs charged to his pitching line.
One of those runs reached home when Owings hit a ball to short. Chase d’Arnaud committed an error, and Blanco was able to score from second.
Daniel Descalso drove in two runs with an RBI-single to make the score 10-1.
On the other side, Arizona starter Robbie Ray gave Padre hitters fits at the plate. He threw three perfect innings, and carried that perfect game into the fourth inning. The perfect game was broken up with two outs in the fourth, when Renfroe hit a solo shot over the wall in left. The score was 8-1 at that point.
Renfroe hit his second long ball in the top of the ninth inning for his 13th home run of the season.
His two RBI were the only runs the Padres offense could muster off Arizona pitching in this game. San Diego struck out 13 times, with five players striking out more than once.
It probably is a good thing that Lamet had a poor start. He was lights out in his first two starts. This start against Arizona shouldn’t shatter his confidence. If anything, it’ll remind him that pitching in the majors is a challenge every time he steps on the mound.
Mike is the sports editor for the Fayette Advertiser, and has been with East Village Times since 2015. His work has appeared on Bleacher Report. He is an avid Padres fan who is keeping the faith and trusting the process.