PHILADELPHIA -- Credit the Padres for scoring against Cristopher Sánchez, at least. No other team had done that since April 30.
Still, San Diego dropped its eighth game in the last nine -- including all five against the Phillies in that span. Here’s some instant reaction after the Padres’ 3-2 loss at Citizens Bank Park on Wednesday night:
Padres get one past Sánchez
It’s been a brutal stretch for San Diego’s offense. Collectively, they’ve fallen to last in the Majors in runs scored and batting average. On Wednesday, they were tasked with facing Sánchez, the hottest pitcher in baseball and the newly minted National League Pitcher of the Month.
Hey, at least they scored against him.
With two outs in the seventh, Ty France doubled into the left-field corner off Sánchez. Jackson Merrill followed with a clean RBI single through the left side, plating France and tying the game. It snapped Sánchez’s scoreless streak at 50 2/3 innings -- the fifth longest in MLB history.
It wasn’t enough.
Look, there’s no question this one was always going to be tough. After a low-scoring loss like this one, a better offense could simply tip its cap, having been beaten by a very good pitcher. But this Padres offense has not earned the benefit of the doubt. There have been too many nights like this one -- whether against Sánchez or anybody else.
Phillies get to Adam
Jason Adam entered play on Wednesday with a 0.89 ERA through 23 outings -- and some underlying numbers that indicated he hadn’t been quite that sharp. Adam has only recorded 13 strikeouts in 21 innings this season. He’d been allowing hits, too – not many, but more than usual.
The Phillies made him pay. After the Padres rallied to tie the game against Sánchez, J.T. Realmuto untied it just as quickly. He led off the bottom of the seventh inning with a home run against Adam. Three batters later, Kyle Schwarber followed with a solo shot of his own.
The margins are obviously thin on the pitching side with the Padres’ offense struggling. That’s not Adam’s fault. But given the circumstances, San Diego desperately needed a zero, and Adam couldn’t provide it.
Buehler solidifying the rotation
The Padres signed Walker Buehler to be their No. 5 starter -- and if this is what they’re getting from the fifth spot in the rotation, they’ll take it every time.
Buehler was outstanding on Wednesday night, limiting the Phillies to one run across six innings. He kept some of the best hitters in the NL in check -- namely Schwarber and Bryce Harper.
At this point, Buehler has solidified his rotation place. The Padres have a couple starters who are working their way back from injury. But it’d be hard to see Buehler giving way any time soon, considering how well he’s pitched lately. Across his last five starts, Buehler has a 3.29 ERA.