Washington Nationals drop 7-4 decision to San Diego Padres in Petco Park

Washington and San Diego traded three-run blasts in the bottom of the fourth and top of the fifth, with Padres’ outfielder Wil Myers taking Erick Fedde deep to right-center for the first of the two home runs, before Josh Harrison hit a game-tying three-run shot to center field in Petco Park, 3-3.

But the home team responded with three in the bottom of the fifth, and the Friars evened things up in the four-game series after dropping the opener to the Nationals: 7-4 final.

Fedde vs San Diego: Erick Fedde had a streak of 21-straight scoreless innings on the mound end when he gave up three runs in the second inning of a four-inning outing against the NL East rival Philadelphia Phillies on the road in Citizens Bank Park, and coming out of that start the righty was diagnosed with an oblique strain which landed him on the 10-Day IL back on June 27th (retroactive to 6/24).

“He felt it after — the day after the game he started,” manager Davey Martinez explained to reporters. “We kind of monitored it a little bit, and he went and got an MRI and it showed a mild strain of his left oblique.”

The 28-year-old, 2014 1st Round pick was reinstated from the Injured List this afternoon, in advance of the second game of four with the Padres in Petco Park, and he was announced as the Nationals’ starter.

Taking the mound for the first time since June 23rd, Fedde gave up a leadoff single in the bottom of the first, then proceeded to retire six straight to complete two scoreless on 29 pitches.

Victor Caratini and Fernando Tatis, Jr. singled off Fedde in the third, putting runners on the corners with two out, but Alcides Escobar made a slick backhand play and strong throw to first for out No. 3 on a Jake Cronenworth grounder. Three scoreless for Fedde on 45 pitches.

Manny Machado doubled to start the Padres’ fourth, however, and took third on a single to left by Eric Hosmer, before scoring on a 3-run home run to right by Wil Myers, 3-0. No. 10 for Myers.

Fedde came back out in the bottom of the fifth with the score tied at 3-3 after Josh Harrison hit a three-run blast to center in the top of the inning, and gave up a leadoff single and one-out walk in front of Manny Machado, who singled to center to put the Padres back up, 4-3. That was it for Fedde... who left two runners on, both of whom scored with Sam Clay on in relief...

Erick Fedde’s Line: 4.1 IP, 8 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 1 BB, 2 Ks, 1 HR, 93 P, 56 S, 8/2 GO/FO.

Weathers vs Washington: Ryan Weathers, 21, and a 2018 1st Round pick (7th overall) by the Padres, made his MLB debut earlier this season, and heading into tonight’s outing, the left-hander had a 2.63 ERA, a 4.27 FIP, 17 walks, 39 Ks, and a .217/.289/.364 line against over 15 games, nine starts, and 51 ¹⁄₃ IP.

Weathers went down to Triple-A in the Padres’ system back in mid-June so the club could manage his workload, but he returned for one start before taking the mound tonight, and tossing three scoreless to start, working around three hits by the Nationals, and throwing just 41 pitches.

Juan Soto singled off Weathers in the first, but was picked off by the Padres’ lefty, who is, it appears, good at such things.

Starlin Castro singled off the southpaw with one out in the Nationals’ half of the second, but was thrown out at home trying to score on a Yan Gomes double, when Jurickson Profar and Fernando Tatis, Jr. got the ball to catcher Victor Caratini long before Castro reached home, and a fly to the top of the wall in left by Josh Harrison ended the second scoreless frame by the Padres’ starter.

Castro and Gomes tried again in the fifth, with Castro singling to start the frame, and taking third on another double by Gomes, and this time Josh Harrison got all of a 3-0 fastball from Weathers in the next at bat and hit a game-tying home run to center field, 3-3. J-Hay’s 5th.

It was 6-3 in the Padres’ favor when Weathers returned to the mound in the sixth, but a one-out, opposite field home run by Juan Soto (his 10th this season, and ninth on the road) got the Nationals within two, 6-4 San Diego. That was it for Weathers...

Ryan Weathers’ Line: 5.1 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 0 BB, 2 Ks, 71 P, 44 S, 6/2 GO/FO.

CastrOBP: Starlin Castro started the night with an eight-game hit streak going, over which he was 11 for 26 (.423 AVG) with two doubles, a home run, seven RBIs, four walks, and five runs scored over that stretch, and he extended it to nine in-a-row with a single the first time up, though he got thrown out at home trying to score on a double by Yan Gomes in the at bat that followed. But a nine-game hit streak. And Castro singled and scored on a three-run shot by Josh Harrison the second time up.

Bullpen Action: Sam Clay took over with runners on the corners and one out in the Padres’ fifth, and gave up an RBI single to right by Eric Hosmer, 5-3 San Diego, and a sac fly by Wil Myers made it 6-3.

Austin Adams came on for the Padres after Juan Soto hit an opposite field blast to make it a 6-4 game with one out in the top of the sixth, and struck out two around back-to-back, two-out walks.

Kyle Finnegan (with help from another runner caught stealing by catcher Yan Gomes), tossed a scoreless, 14-pitch bottom of the sixth.

Padres’ righty Emilio Pagán gave up back-to-back, one-out walks, to Yadiel Hernández and Alcides Escobar in the top of the seventh, but popped Trea Turner up on a first-pitch cutter before the Padres went to their bullpen again.

Tim Hill took over for two on and two out, and struck Juan Soto out to end the threat, still 6-4 Padres.

Andres Machado gave up one- and two-out doubles by Manny Machado and Wil Myers, respectively, as the Padres added a run in the bottom of the seventh, 7-4.

Yan Gomes singled and Josh Harrison walked with two out on the top of the eighth inning, but both were stranded when Victor Robles K’d swinging to end a scoreless frame by lefty Drew Pomeranz, still 7-4 Padres.

Jefry Rodríguez worked around a one-out single for a scoreless frame in the bottom of the eighth, 7-4.

Mark Melancon came on to end it, and retired the Nationals in order in the ninth.

Final Score: 7-4 Padres

Nationals now 41-43