WASHINGTON _ In consecutive games at Nationals Park, the Padres were made to look silly by a pair of aces. Max Scherzer struck out a season-high 13 batters on Friday. Stephen Strasburg struck out a career-high 15 on Saturday. Given a sizable gap in talent and experience, the dozens of empty at-bats were not entirely unexpected.
On Sunday, the division-leading Washington Nationals sat four regulars while sending third-year major leaguer Joe Ross to the mound. In a matchup marked by youthful exuberance, the Padres chased their former prospect from that mound and avoided a sweep, wearing out the infield dirt in a 5-3 victory.
San Diego, which had managed only three hits each of the previous two nights, matched its season high with 14. Except for catcher Luis Torrens, who lined out twice, every member of the starting lineup logged at least one hit.
Even starting pitcher Jhoulys Chacin lashed a pair of singles, recording the multi-hit performance of his career. He drove in a run with the first, providing needed cushion in what was his latest bumpy outing on the road. The right-hander yielded three runs over 4 1/3 innings. He was buoyed by both his own offense and his teammates'.
After Saturday's shutout loss, the top of the first represented an immediate improvement. With two outs, Wil Myers fell behind Ross, 1-and-2, before drawing a nine-pitch walk. Ryan Schimpf demolished an elevated slider, launching a two-run homer into the home bullpen.
Chacin almost immediately relinquished the lead. The Nationals loaded the bases with no outs. Chacin froze a batter with a slider, saw a run to score on a fielder's choice and, with his 29th pitch, finished the inning with another strikeout.
Chase d'Arnaud opened the top of the second with a double and scored on a single by Chacin.
The pitcher allowed the Nationals to cut into his lead again in the bottom of the inning. Washington collected three singles, the last scoring a run.
A milestone, if not an answer, arrived in the third. Center fielder Franchy Cordero, making his first career start after being promoted Saturday, lined a one-out single for his first major league hit.
He would not be stranded in the fifth. Following a leadoff single by Hunter Renfroe, Cordero ripped a double into the right-field corner for his first extra-base knock. Renfroe stopped at third. Up next, d'Arnaud delivered again, singling to score both runners. Ross departed the game, having surrendered a dozen hits.
Handed a 5-2 lead, Chacin teetered again. Consecutive one-out hits slashed a run off the Nationals' deficit. Manager Andy Green summoned Kirby Yates from the bullpen. The reliever did yeoman's work, retiring the next five batters.
In the bottom of the seventh, d'Arnaud, who was claimed off waivers last week, left another favorable impression. The utility man, playing shortstop on this afternoon, ranged to his left to make a diving stop, then fired a throw from his knees, sealing the out at first.
The highlight helped Ryan Buchter complete a scoreless inning, that in spite of two walks and a balk. Brad Hand and Brandon Maurer followed with zeroes of their own.
