Padres fall to the Nationals 4-2
Credit: AP Photo
The Padres sought to build on their momentum from an exciting win on Friday at Nationals Park.
After a rain delay, however, the Padres missed too many opportunities with runners in scoring position and were defeated 4-2.
The Nationals took an early lead in the top of the second on a two-RBI single by Drew Millas. The Padres answered back in the next frame after a Jose Iglesias double, a Martin Maldonado double that was almost a star-worthy catch by Jacob Young. Luis Arraez also singled in a run.
The Padres threatened in the top of the 5th inning as they loaded the bases with two outs, only for Manny Machado to strike out.
In the bottom half of that inning, the Nationals took the lead on a CJ Abrams groundout. Jake Cronenworth was forced to throw to first for an out instead of home to get the runner. A Nathaniel Lowe home run in the bottom of the 6th off Yuki Matsui would put the final touches on the game for Washington.
The Padres did get runners to second and third with one out in the top of the 8th inning, but a Manny Machado strikeout and poor base running on a fielder’s choice failed to get the runners home. A Xander Bogaerts lineout ended any chance of a comeback. The Padres left six men on base during the game and wasted multiple opportunities to take the lead.
Yu Darvish had his longest outing of the season, going five innings, allowing five hits and three runs. Yuki Matsui gave up a solo home run to Lowe, but that was the only hit the combination of Matsui, Wandy Peralta, and David Morgan gave up in the game.
The Nationals’ Mitchell Parker went six innings with five hits and two runs. Their bullpen combo of Garcia, Ferrer, and Finnegan held the Padres to only one hit.
The Padres and Nationals conclude the series on Sunday at 10:35 PST, as former Padre MacKenzie Gore will face Nick Pivetta .
A Native San Diegan, Loren has spent his entire life not only as a fan but an active participant in San Diego’s sports world. In 2006 Loren joined two other die hard Charger fans to create Bolttalk, where Loren was a co-host and regular columnist from 2006 until the Chargers left in 2017. After that he started another podcast, The Grid Podshow, from 2020-2021 with his former co-host and colleague, speaking about the local sports community and popular culture.
When he’s not giving his opinion about San Diego sports, Loren is an adjunct professor at San Diego State and an attorney.