It started so well. It ended so horribly. The Padres lost to the Nationals 10-4 on Sunday at Petco Park, dropping three out of four games in the series and falling back under the .500.
Other than that … how did you like the play, Mrs. Lincoln?
San Diego starter Ian Kennedy took a no-hitter in to the 5th inning. He left the 5th inning with the loss. Kennedy gave up a leadoff triple to Bryce Harper, then served up a 3-run home run to Danny Espinosa to put the Nationals up 3-2.
Washington tacked on four more runs in the 6th. Kennedy walked the bases loaded with nobody out and was replaced by Frank Garces. The left-handed reliever looked like he froze Harper with a breaking ball for strike three but home plate umpire Phil Cuzzi called it a ball. Harper chopped the next pitch weakly down the 3rd base line for an infield single to score a run and things just unraveled.
Dale Thayer replaced Garces, getting Ryan Zimmerman to hit a sacrifice fly for the first out. Tyler Moore snuck a double down the left field line to score two more and put Washington up 7-2. It was out of reach even before Harper ripped his National League-leading 14th home run of the season to left in front of the Western Metal Supply building, a 3-run shot that gave the Nats 10 runs for the second game of the series.
The Padres had the lead thanks to some small ball and some big ball. In the first inning Abraham Almonte walked and stole second base against Nationals starter Stephen Strasburg (the former Aztec earned his 3rd win of the season). He took off for 3rd and Matt Kemp hit a ground ball up the middle. Almonte never broke stride and scored just in front of the throw from shortstop Ian Desmond to put San Diego up 1-0.
The other bright spot for the Friars was Justin Upton. The leftfielder hit a pair of solo home runs, giving him 10 for the season. Upton has hit eight of his 10 dingers at Petco Park.
The Padres fall to 19-20 on the year. They take Monday off before welcoming the Cubs to the East Village for a 3-game set starting Tuesday.
