Wow. This was just bad all around.
The Padres pitching staff had trouble throwing strikes and San Diego’s offense had trouble hitting them in an ugly 10-2 loss to the Red Sox to open a three-game weekend series at Petco Park on Friday night.
Nick Pivetta, easily the Padres most effective starting pitcher this season, cruised through the first three innings but shipwrecked in the 4th. Boston loaded the bases on a single and two walks, got a run on a sacrifice fly, got another run on an errant pickoff throw by Pivetta, and two more when Wilyer Abreu ripped a two-run homer to cap a four-run inning and hand Pivetta his first loss in the East Village.
It was a 5-0 game in the 8th inning when Shane Reynolds came on to try and keep it from getting any worse. The big right-hander had all kinds of trouble. Reynolds walked the bases loaded before serving up a three-run double to catcher Connor Wong to make it 8-0. Reynolds ended up getting five outs but allowed five runs with five walks in the process.
Meanwhile, the bats were stymied by longtime tormentor Walker Buehler, who was extremely tough on the Friars when he was a member of the Dodgers pitching staff and took that dominance with him to Beantown. Buehler tossed 6.0 shutout innings, allowing just four hits, and half of those belonged to Luis Arraez.
San Diego will try to flush this one and even the series on Saturday night when a familiar face returns to the rotation. Michael King, who’s been out since May with a nerve issue, takes the mound against Lucas Giolito.