Washington Nationals blow 4-0 lead, lose 5-4 to San Diego Padres in series opener in Petco

Patrick Corbin struggled with his command, walking a season-high five batters in just five innings on the mound, in which he threw 101 pitches, and the Washington Nationals, who jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the series opener in San Diego, ended up losing by a run, 5-4.

Corbin vs the Padres: A rough outing in his last turn in the rotation left Patrick Corbin with a (3-2) record in six May starts, over which the 29-year-old southpaw had a 3.35 ERA, 12 walks, 39 Ks, and a .243/.303/.343 line against in 37 ²⁄₃ IP. Corbin tossed a complete game shutout against Miami on May 25th, then gave up 11 hits and eight runs, six earned, in just 2 ²⁄₃ IP in a loss on the road in Cincinnati the next time out.

Tonight in San Diego, CA’s Petco Park, Corbin took the mound with a 4-0 lead and gave up a leadoff walk in the first, but worked around it.

A leadoff walk in the second scored, however, on a two-run home run to center off Hunter Renfroe’s bat on a 3-1 fastball, 4-2 Nats. Renfroe’s 18th.

Two singles and a walk loaded the bases with Padres and pushed Corbin up to 47 pitches overall in the bottom of the second, but he got out of the inning, without further damage, three pitches later, when he popped Wil Myers up to end the threat.

Corbin settled in, with two scoreless in which he threw just 23 pitches, leaving him at 73 total after four, but back-to-back singles in the first two at bats of the bottom of the fifth resulted in runners on the corners with no one out, and a wild pitch made it second and third before Myers walked to load the bases. Manny Machado sent a weak roller to short, and Trea Turner threw it high to third going for a force, and an error (on Anthony Rendon, who didn’t make the catch) allowed the second run to score, 4-4. A sac fly followed, 5-4, and Corbin was up to 93 pitches with one out.

Corbin got out of the inning trailing by one, with a season-high five walks, and that was it for the southpaw in San Diego...

Patrick Corbin’s Line: 5.0 IP, 5 H, 5 R, 3 ER, 5 BB, 6 Ks, 1 HR, 101 P, 57 S, 4/2 GO/FO.

Lucchessi vs the Nationals: Padres’ lefty Joey Lucchesi was winless in five starts (with a 4.18 ERA, five walks, 28 Ks, and a .229/.263/.394 line against in 28 IP) before he earned a win in a 6 ¹⁄₃-inning outing against the Miami Marlins in which he gave up two hits, a walk, and a run in a 5-2 win for San Diego.

Tonight he was taking on the Nationals for the second time this season after giving up nine hits and five runs (four earned) over four innings in Washington, D.C. on April 28th.

Lucchesi gave up four runs early in the series opener in Petco Park, with Victor Robles and Juan Soto scoring on a two-out, two-run hit by Howie Kendrick after doubling and walking, respectively, to start the opening frame, 2-0.

Brian Dozier followed with a two-run blast that ended up on the balcony of the second floor of the Western Metal Supply Co. in left, 4-0.

Lucchesi worked his way out of a bases-loaded jam in the second, but the 30-pitch frame left him at 64 total after two.

He was up to 95 pitches, with eight straight batters set down after a nine-pitch, 1-2-3 fifth, and that was it for the lefty’s outing...

Joey Lucchesi’s Line: 5.0 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 3 BB, 5 Ks, 1 HR, 95 P, 60 S, 7/4 GO/FO.

Rendon is Streaking: With a walk in the fifth inning of Wednesday’s game, Anthony Rendon extended his on-base streak to 21-straight games, over which the 29-year-old third baseman was 27 for 75 (.360/.489/.707) with seven doubles, two triples, five homers, 19 walks, and 21 runs scored.

Rendon walked in his second trip to the plate in Petco Park, extending his streak to 22 in a row. The streak lives!!!!

BULLPEN ACTION: Matt Wisler came on for the Padres in the sixth, and struck out the side, making it 12-straight Nationals set down.

Tony Sipp took over for the Nationals in the bottom of the sixth inning and got two outs, but was lifted after a walk to Manuel Margot. Javy Guerra got out No. 3 to keep it a one-run lead for the Padres, 5-4.

Trey Wingenter got the ball in the top of the seventh and retired the Nationals in order in a 14-pitch frame. 14-straight outs.

Guerra came back out in the bottom of the seventh and gave up a leadoff walk to Wil Myers, but retired the next three batters in order.

Craig Stammen’s 1-2-3 eighth made it 17-straight Nationals set down.

Davey Martinez leaned on Guerra for another inning of work in the bottom of the eighth and he gave up a single and got an out before the manager turned to Matt Grace, who got a 3-6-3 DP in the next at bat. Still 5-4 Padres.

Kirby Yates came on in the ninth and retired the 18th, 19th, and 20th straight Nationals to end it, 5-4 Padres.

Nationals now 28-34