Bill Center, longtime sportswriter for U-T San Diego, is an employee of the Padres.
There is a major split this season between Robbie Erlin's numbers as a reliever and starter.
Erlin has made 13 relief appearances with a 1.96 ERA and a 0.78 WHIP. He has worked 23 innings out of the bullpen, allowing five runs on 16 hits and two walks with 20 strikeouts in 23 innings.
In two starts, however, Erlin has given up 12 runs (11 earned) on 14 hits and two walks with six strikeouts in seven innings for a 14.14 ERA and a 2.99 WHIP. All three homers he has given up in 30 innings this season have come in his two starts.
And Erlin's numbers are even worse in his three starts at Nationals Park, where he gave up six runs on seven hits in four innings.
Erlin is 0-3 with a 15.52 ERA and a 2.40 WHIP. He has given up 23 runs on 26 hits and six walks with eight strikeouts in 13 1/3 innings. Erlin's ERA is the second highest at Nationals Park to only Matt Garza's 19.85 mark (minimum of 10 innings pitched). Monday night marked the third time Erlin gave up multiple homers in a single game -- and the second time it has happened against Washington (also: July 7, 2013).
NOTEBOOK
• Franmil Reyes launched his first career home run in the fourth inning of Monday night against left-hander Giovany Gonzalez. It was an opposite-field shot to right. Twelve of Reyes' 14 homers with Triple-A El Paso were opposite-field shots. Reyes and Washington's 19-year-old Juan Soto each hit their first Major League homers Monday night. Before each was recently promoted, they were tied for the Minor League lead with 14 homers apiece.
• A.J. Ellis has hit in six straight games that he's had an at-bat, going 9-for-22 with four doubles. He's also hit safely in eight of the last nine games that he's had an at-bat, going 12-for-30 (.400).
• Tyler Webb had a 1.13 ERA in six appearances during May for Triple-A El Paso before being recalled by the Padres Monday. He had allowed two runs (one earned) on four hits and two walks with eight strikeouts in eight innings.
• Austin Hedges was 0-for-3 with a walk and a run scored in his rehab debut with El Paso Monday. He caught the entire game.