Kemp, Padres beat Nationals
WASHINGTON - Rookie Luis Perdomo's big league debut must seem like a long time ago. Perdomo pitched seven solid innings, Matt Kemp homered twice and drove in four runs and the San Diego Padres beat the Washington Nationals 5-3 on Friday night.
WASHINGTON - Rookie Luis Perdomo's big league debut must seem like a long time ago.
Perdomo pitched seven solid innings, Matt Kemp homered twice and drove in four runs and the San Diego Padres beat the Washington Nationals 5-3 on Friday night.
The Padres have watched the 23-year-old righthander steadily evolve after allowing six runs in one relief inning in his first major league game.
"I always go back to that first outing he had, Opening Day against the Dodgers, and he just looked shell-shocked on the mound," manager Andy Green said. "And now this guy knows that he can navigate through the Washington Nationals lineup at this point in the season."
Perdomo (4-4) is 3-0 with a 3.47 ERA in his last four starts. After allowing a pair of first-inning runs, he limited the National to two hits over the final six innings of his longest outing. He got 13 outs via ground balls.
"I really just followed my plan," Perdomo said through an interpreter. "I kept my pitches low and I was able to use my sinker to get some outs."
Brandon Maurer pitched 1 1/3 innings for his fourth save.
Kemp hit a solo shot in the first inning and gave San Diego the lead for good with a three-run homer in the fifth. He has six homers in his last six games and the Padres have homered in 20 straight, the longest streak in the National League this season.
Jayson Werth and Daniel Murphy homered for Washington. The Nationals have lost four of five.
"People ask me what do we need? We need some timely two-out base hits. Not home runs," manager Dusty Baker said. "We rely on home runs, which is fine. But you need some timely two-out hits or two or three consecutive hits, which we aren't getting."
Tanner Roark (9-6) turned in his shortest outing since June 5, lasting just five innings. He allowed five runs on four hits and surrendered two homers in a game for the first time this season.
"I didn't have my best stuff by any means tonight," Roark said. "I stunk."
Both teams were warned after Washington's Oliver Perez hit Brett Wallace with a pitch to open the ninth.
Washington pitchers hit three batters and San Diego hurlers hit one.
Wilson Ramos had three hits for Washington.
San Diego trailed 2-1 when Wallace was hit leading off the fifth and scored on a two-out single by Melvin Upton Jr. After Ryan Schimpf walked, Kemp homered to center off a 2-1 Roark fastball for his 22nd of the season.
Murphy's solo shot pulled Washington to 5-3 in the eighth.
Kemp made it 1-0 when he deposited Roark's 3-1 pitch into the Padres' bullpen.
"He left a couple of (fastballs) up there in the zone," Kemp said.
Werth tied it in the bottom of the first with a line shot to center. He has reached base in 26 consecutive games.
Bryce Harper then walked, stole second and scored on Ramos' single.