Erlin gets Robbie'd of a great start

In a testament against the win-loss stat for pitchers, Robbie Erlin took it to the Phillies today in the best start of the Padres season. Unfortunately, the Friar lineup returned to that opening series form and just couldn't string together enough hits in a row to generate a single run.

Erlin, who had a three-inning shutout against the Rockies was handed the ball to help out a rotation that is missing Tyson Ross. Robbie is so far leading by example, and went a full 6 innings giving up only 3 hits and a single run on a triple that was carried by the wind into deep right field.

He struck out 7, and was swapped out of the lineup later for a RISP scenario that never came to fruition.

Charlie Morton was looking just as "sharp", and was made to look even better as the Padres were also held to 3 hits and struck out 7 times. Melvin Upton Jr. had two hits, but negated that by getting caught at second. Jon Jay collected yet another hit, a double, and is now hitting .303, up there with Upton Jr. and Matt Kemp. Kemp had the fourth hit, a single, off the Phils.

Jon Jay has gone 8 games in a row with a hit now.

The rest of those Philly runs came from a wide throw by Cory Spangenberg to Brett Wallace. It was a bit of a stretch to challenge the play arguing that the slide from Odubel Herrera; but in the bottom of the 8th with a potential inning-ending double play, why not? It ended up being ruled a fair slide, and the Phils kicked up the dust and took off with a 3-0 lead.

Tomorrow the Pads will face up against Jerad Eickhoff, putting Colin Rea on the mound. Rea won't have the safety net of Robbie Erlin to carry him through the game, so he'll be expected to put out a quality start after giving up 5 runs in 3 innings against the Rockies.

LET'S TAKE ANOTHER SERIES ON THE ROAD, BOYS.