Phillies 5, Padres 1: Friars flail against Nola

The most interesting part of tonight’s ballgame actually came after the last out. During the evening’s fireworks and laser show, a small fire started on the field near the firework launchers. A technician very calmly walked out, grabbed a fire extinguisher, and put the flame out despite the rockets launching feet from him. It was very emblematic of the game tonight, as the Phillies shut down the Padres every time they threatened to score. The offense put together a decent enough seven hits, including two doubles and a triple, but they also went an appalling 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position. And Walker Lockett wasn’t any better on the mound, giving up five runs in even fewer innings, leaving the bullpen to keep his mess from getting any worse.

Lockett was bad from the start. He walked Cesar Hernandez to start the game, and Nick Williams hit a one-out triple to put the Phillies on the board quick. Asdrubal Cabrera made things even worse by hitting a double to plate Williams. Lockett put together two scoreless innings after that, but faltered again in the fourth when he surrendered a homer to Maikel Franco.

Things didn’t get better in the fifth. Hernandez homered to score his second run of the night, and Lockett got the hook when Rhys Hoskins followed up with a single. The starter would get charged with one last run, as Hoskins scored on a single and a ground out after Robert Stock took over. The Padres did finally get on the board in the seventh, as Cory Spangenberg led off with a triple. Manuel Margot hit a sacrifice fly to bring him home and avoid a shutout. But the run was entirely symbolic, as the Friars couldn’t manage another.

Joey Lucchesi will hopefully do better in tomorrow’s rubber match. First pitch at 12:40 PM.