Padres have no answer for Scherzer in 4-1 loss
Credit: Nationals
Petco Park, San Diego
Washington Nationals starting pitcher Max Scherzer frustrated the San Diego Padres over seven innings, as the Friars suffered a 4-1 loss.
“Mad Max” entered the game on the heels of a 15-strikeout performance during his start against the Cincinnati Reds on June 2. In that game, he went eight innings, allowing just one run on three hits. Scherzer had thrown 30 strikeouts in his last three games entering this start against San Diego.
Scherzer was locked in from the start, striking out Greg Garcia and Wil Myers back-to-back in the bottom of the first. Scherzer struck out nine Padres in all while allowing six hits and a walk.
The Padres’ only scoring threat happened in the second inning. Eric Hosmer and Franmil Reyes both hit hard line drives for singles. The Friars eventually had runners at second and third with two outs and Austin Allen at the plate. The Nationals elected to walk Allen intentionally, and Scherzer got Padres starting pitcher Eric Lauer to strike out swinging.
Lauer tied a career high by throwing seven innings. He allowed four runs (three earned) on seven hits while striking out five and issuing three walks.
Entering the game, Lauer had a 1.50 ERA over his previous three starts, in which he allowed only three earned runs over 24 innings. After giving up a line drive RBI-single to Howie Kendrick in the top of the first inning, Lauer surrendered a two-run home run to Brian Dozier in the fourth. It was Dozier’s 1,000th career hit. Anthony Rendon added an RBI-single in the fifth.
Myers went 0-for-4, striking out four times. He raised his strikeout percentage to 36.7 percent, the highest strikeout percentage in the majors.
The Padres and Nationals will play the final game of this four-game series, and the final meeting between the two teams, on June 9. The game is scheduled to begin at 1:10 p.m. PDT.
Stephen Strasburg will take the mound for Washington. It will be a bullpen day for the San Diego pitching staff. The starter for the game is to be determined.
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.
If Green is being honest about the Padres making every effort to win every game than why would you sit Tatis after he goes 3 for 4 the night before? Why would you play Myers who goes 0 for 4 with 4 strikeouts? I’m fairly sure that he is sacrificing a game here or there, trying to look at a bigger picture down the road. He must be careful though because if he continues to operate this way he may end up losing his job. Joe Girardi is still out there and I believe he knows much more about how to field a winning team on a day to day basis.