Padres 6, Nationals 3: Friars salvage series split

After losing the first two games of this series to the Nationals, it seemed certain that the Padres would lose the series. But after a late-inning rally on Saturday, the team picked up their first Sunday win of the season to push a split and take a happy flight to Baltimore.

Once again, Washington started the scoring in the top of the first inning. In fact, they scored on the very first pitch, with Michael Taylor taking Drew Pomeranz yard. The Padres didn’t leave them with the lead for long. Wil Myers knocked a single to center with one out in the bottom of the first. A ground out moved him into scoring position, and Yangervis Solarte brought him home with another single.

The Friars took the lead in the fourth inning. Melvin Upton and Derek Norris got it started with back-to-back singles. Then Adam Rosales made Gio Gonzalez pay with a two-run double. The good guys had the opportunity for more, when Wil Myers drew a walk after Jon Jay was beaned, but they couldn’t capitalize on the bases loaded situation.

DC tied things up again the very next inning, as Pomeranz got tagged by two more solo shots, the first from Danny Espinosa and the second seeing Taylor take his second trip around the basepaths. This time around, the tie did not last long. Solarte led off the bottom of the fifth by working a walk. Melvin sent him to second on a grounder back to Gonzalez, and then the Nationals starter missed the throw and gave both runners an extra bag. Norris plated the go-ahead run with a sacrifice fly, and Alexei Amarista added insurance with an RBI single. Just for good measure they plated one more in the sixth. Ryan Schimpf led off with a pinch-hit single, went to second on a grounder, and then took home on a single to center off the bat of Matt Kemp.

The boys have tomorrow off, and will return to take on the Orioles at 4:05 PM Tuesday.