Bill Center, longtime sportswriter for U-T San Diego, is an employee of the Padres.
The Padres' lethargic offense allowed some excellent pitching to go to waste the past three days in Philadelphia.
Starters Robbie Erlin, Colin Rea and Drew Pomeranz combined to allow five runs (four earned) on 11 hits and seven walks with 18 strikeouts in 19 innings.
That's a 1.89 ERA.
The result: 0-3 as the offense scored one run in the Padres' last three games in Philadelphia.
Erlin, 25, allowed one run on three hits and two walks while striking out seven over six innings Tuesday night. He threw 80 pitches.
Rea, 25, gave up two runs, but only one earned, Wednesday night while allowing five hits and two walks over seven inning. He had five strikeouts and threw 94 pitches.
Pomeranz, 27, gave up two runs on three hits and three walks with eight strikeouts over six innings Thursday afternoon while throwing 101 pitches.
After two times through the rotation, Erlin (including one relief appearance), Rea and Pomeranz have a combined ERA of 3.19. The front end of the rotation -- Tyson Ross, Andrew Cashner and James Shields -- have a combined ERA of 7.24.
Erlin, Rea and Pomeranz were economical as well as effective. Erlin averaged 13.3 pitches per inning Tuesday. Rea averaged 13.4 pitches per inning Wednesday. And Pomeranz averaged 16.8 pitches per inning Thursday.
Notes from the scorecard
• The Padres went 11-for-92 (.120) with two walks and 28 strikeouts while being shut out by the Dodgers a Major League record three straight games to open the season. Over the last three days in Philadelphia, the Padres scored one run while going 13-for-93 (.140) with seven walks and 33 strikeouts. In the four games between, the Padres scored 36 runs while hitting .335 (51-for-152).
• The Padres set a Major League record by getting shut out five times in their first 10 games.
• Six of the Padres' 13 hits the past three days were by reserves Alexi Amarisa (four), Brett Wallace (one) and Jabari Blash (one).
• First baseman Wil Myers is 0-for-9 the past three games with nine strikeouts.