SAN DIEGO _ Joey Lucchesi salvaged a horrible start, and Fernando Tatis Jr. picked up where he left off in April.
After the rookie got on base for a third time Thursday night at Petco Park, he ran around them to help the San Diego Padres assume a 5-4 lead they held to the end.
The Nationals scored four runs in the first inning, but Lucchesi got through the fifth inning without surrendering another. That's when Tatis provided the dynamic run creation the Padres had missed during his 34 games away while rehabbing his left hamstring.
Manuel Margot led off the fifth with a single and Tatis, who walked his first two times up, followed with a single. Wil Myers walked to load the bases and bring Manny Machado to the plate.
Machado hit a grounder that shortstop Trea Turner fielded and threw to third trying to get the fleet Tatis, who was sliding by the time Turner's high throw caromed off third baseman Anthony Rendon's glove. As the ball bounced slowly across the grass in foul territory, Tatis stood and sprinted home to tie the game 4-4.
Franmil Reyes' sacrifice fly scored Myers from third to give the Padres the lead in a game they trailed 4-0 before they batted.
Hunter Renfroe's two-run homer in the second inning halved the Nationals' lead.
Lucchesi's trouble with command threatened to spoil his 26th birthday until he gifted the Padres four scoreless innings after walking a batter and allowing a single, double and two-run homer in the first. He followed that 34-pitch opening inning, by allowing one more hit in 61 more pitches.
He retired the final eight batters he faced. Relievers Matt Wisler, Trey Wingenter, Craig Stammen and Kirby Yates ran the streak to 20 in closing out the game as the Padres improved to 3-4 on the homestand and 32-31 on the season.
