Morales struggles through first rough outing of spring

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- The Padres did something Monday that had been unprecedented in Cactus League action: produce solid contact against Franklin Morales.

The Rockies left-hander and fifth-starter candidate surrendered his first earned runs of the spring in Monday's 5-0 loss to the Padres at Salt River Fields.

Morales allowed three runs on five hits and uncorked a wild pitch in 2 1/3 innings.

"I threw a lot of strikes, made my pitches," said Morales, who also struck out three. "Sometimes you miss your pitch, and that's when you get hit. But I feel great."

Manager Walt Weiss agreed.

"I didn't see anything that was much different from his last outing," Weiss said of Morales, who threw 51 pitches in preparation for this week's two split-squad games. "I think he got the ball up and he tried to go in a few times with cutters to righties, and they got the barrel to it. He got two strikes on a lot of hitters and just had trouble finishing."

Morales had a quick first inning, making two nice defensive plays -- one covering first base and the other a snare on a comebacker -- and retired the first five in order before trouble struck.

He allowed a double, a home run, a ground-rule double and a single, all of which were hard-hit.

"The guys start to swing and I missed a spot like twice, and they got hit," Morales said.