The Sports Xchange
Jun 30, 2017
SAN DIEGO -- Wil Myers and Hunter Renfroe rocketed two-run homers off Jaime Garcia changeups and rookie right-hander Dinelson Lamet blanked the Atlanta Braves for seven innings Thursday night as the San Diego Padres scored a 6-0 win in the rubber match of a three-game series at Petco Park.
Lamet, 24, allowed four hits and a walk while striking out eight to improve to 3-2 as the Padres scored a second straight win over the Braves after losing their first five meetings of the season.
Kirby Yates (two strikeouts) and Jose Valdez (three strikeouts) each worked a perfect inning to complete the four-hit shutout -- the Padres' fifth shutout of the season.
Myers and Renfroe each hit their 16th homers of the season.
Myers capped a three-run third with his 402-foot drive onto the second balcony of the Western Metal Supply Co. building, off an 83 mph changeup from Garcia.
Two innings later, Renfroe drove an 82 mph pitch 439 feet to straightaway center. The drive to the base of the batter's eye was the longest homer at Petco Park this season.
Garcia (2-6) gave up six runs on seven hits and three walks in six-plus innings. He struck out six.
With one out in the Padres' third, Jose Pirela singled and scored on Manuel Margot's double through the gap in left-center. Myers followed with his fifth homer in June, off a 1-0 pitch.
Myers drew a two-out walk ahead of Renfroe's blast in the fifth. Renfroe's sixth homer this month -- and first since June 16 -- also came on a 1-0 changeup.
Lamet retired the first 11 Braves before Nick Markakis singled with two outs in the fourth. Only one Brave reached second: Ender Inciarte via a leadoff double in the fourth.
Inciarte's hit triggered the Braves' biggest threat of the night against Lamet.
Braves manager Brian Snitker came out of the dugout and asked crew chief Mike Winters and plate umpire Jim Reynolds to check the uniform of Lamet for a foreign substance. Lamet has a habit of running his right hand down the back of his right pant leg between pitches.
Nothing was found, and Lamet retired the next three hitters, ending the inning with a called third strike against former Padre Matt Kemp.
The Padres added a sixth run in the bottom of the seventh. Matt Szczur pinch-hit for Lamet and drew a walk as the last batter Garcia faced. Szczur moved to second and scored on Margot's second RBI hit, a single off reliever Rex Brothers, who was promoted from Triple-A Gwinnett to replace Bartolo Colon on the Atlanta roster.
NOTES: The Braves designated 44-year-old RHP Bartolo Colon for assignment on Thursday and promoted LHP Rex Brothers from Triple-A Gwinnett. Colon was 2-8 this season with an 8.14 ERA in 13 starts. He gave up six runs on eight hits and three walks in four innings to the Padres on Wednesday night. "We hated to do it and it wasn't easy because he's such a great guy," Braves manager Brian Snitker said. "But it just wasn't happening here." ... Brothers, 29, has pitched in parts of five major league seasons with the Colorado Rockies as a reliever. He has a 3.42 ERA and 20 saves in 286 appearances. ... The Padres still haven't announced a starter for Saturday night against the Los Angeles Dodgers, although LHP Dillon Overton is on the same rotation with Triple-A El Paso. ... Braves 1B Matt Adams left the game after fouling a pitch off his left foot in his first at-bat. X-rays were negative.