SAN DIEGO _ Unless his unusually candid rookie opts to open up, Padres manager Andy Green prefers to keep Jacob Nix's offseason to-do list in-house.
Saturday's start, his last of 2018, might have provided a few clues about the 22-year-old rookie's exit interview.
Nix served up a sixth home run in his last four starts in the fourth inning Saturday night against Arizona, sending the Padres on their way to a 5-4 loss. He threw 26 pitches in a two-run second. He did not punch anyone out.
As much promise as Nix (2-5, 7.02) delivered when he needed only 79 pitches to come within two outs of a shutout in his fourth big-league start, the next five have served as a reminder that the former third-rounder had only 16 starts above A-ball when he was pushed into the majors.
With four runs allowed on five hits, three walks and two wild pitches Saturday, Nix has a 10.07 ERA over his last 221/3 innings. That stretch includes 30 hits allowed _ including six homers _ eight walks and 14 strikeouts.
"It's been quick," Green said of Nix's rise to the majors. " ... There were some expectations for some lumps along the way. His success is predicated on his ability to bounce back from his tough spots. We wouldn't have brought him here if we didn't think he couldn't bounce back."
Saturday's start was tripped up after a crisp, seven-pitch first.
But even with two runs allowed in a 26-pitch second � one on an RBI single and another via a wild pitch _ Nix remained in decent shape until walking Daniel Descalso to lead off the fourth and leaving a 2-2, 92 mph fastball to rookie Ildemaro Vargas over the heart of the plate.
The ensuing swing left the Padres looking up at a 4-0 hole.
A fifth run scored in the sixth when Trey Wingenter walked Jon Jay on four pitches, pushing an inherited runner from Matt Strahm (12/3 IP, 1 H, 2 BB) across the plate.
Wingenter finished with 11/3 scoreless innings and Kazuhisa Makita followed with two shutout frames.
Eric Hosmer's 18th homer cut the Padres' deficit to 5-4 in the eighth inning before Arizona's Yoshihisa Hirano recorded the final three outs to send the Padres to their 96th loss, their most since 2008 (99).
Manuel Margot tripled in two runs in a three-run third charged to Diamondbacks right-hander Zack Godley (6 IP, 3 ER). A third run scored that inning on shortstop Javy Guerra's single to right for his first career RBI.
