SAN DIEGO_Clayton Richard held the Milwaukee Brewers to one run over five of his innings Tuesday at Petco Park.
It was the opening frame that proved problematic.
Before he could record a third out, the Padres left-hander ceded six hits, including five in succession. With one out, the Brewers singled, singled, singled, singled and doubled. With two outs, Eric Sogard singled. The Padres went to bat with a five-run deficit. They would fall by a final score of 6-2.
While Richard remained on the mound, they did not make up any ground. Sogard doubled in the sixth for his third hit of the night. He scored on a single by starting pitcher Jimmy Nelson.
The home team's main highlight came in the fourth, when right fielder Hunter Renfroe caught a lineout and fired a rocket toward home. Sogard was cut down before he could touch the plate.
The outfield assist was Renfroe's third in as many games, tying a franchise record set by Bubba Trammell in 2002.
Wil Myers homered in the sixth, getting the Padres on the board. Renfroe and Matt Szczur drilled consecutive doubles in the seventh, making it 6-2.
Richard finished with an odd, frustrating line. He allowed six runs on 10 hits over six innings. He did not walk a batter and struck out seven.
The veteran fell to 2-5. His ERA rose to 4.86.
On in relief of Richard, Rule 5 draftee Miguel Diaz threw three innings, a career high, without allowing another run.
That went down as another positive for the Padres, a team light on experience and room for error.
They did not do themselves favors on a number of other occasions. Myers committed a fielding error, continuing his recent struggles at first base. Szczur tagged up from third on a fly out to right field, but was easily thrown out. Cory Spangenberg was picked off after a late single.
