WASHINGTON _ Yangervis Solarte swung over the top of an 0-2 slider, and the disgust spread across his face. He spiked his bat to the ground. His helmet followed.
It was that kind of Friday night for the Padres, overmatched by a superior opponent, compelled to find positives amid a 5-1 loss to the Washington Nationals.
There were at least two.
Ryan Schimpf homered for the third time in four starts.
Luis Perdomo, despite giving up more than one home run for the first time in 2017, managed a quality start.
Now, for the bad.
The Padres played directly into the right hand of Max Scherzer, who allowed them two walks, two singles, Schimpf's home run and nothing more. The Nationals ace churned through the San Diego lineup for the greater part of nine innings, racking up a season-high 13 strikeouts.
Only an unintentional plunking kept him from a complete game. With two outs in the top of the ninth, Scherzer clipped Schimpf, loading the bases.
Koda Glover replaced Scherzer. Hunter Renfroe went to the plate as a pinch-hitter and the potential tying run.
In the power-versus-power matchup, Glover prevailed. Renfroe struck out on four pitches.
Former Padres prospect Trea Turner led off the bottom of the first with a home run. Michael Taylor blasted a two-run homer in the fourth. In the seventh, Bryce Harper punished the Padres for pitching to him with first base open, launching another two-run moonshot.
