SB Nation DC - Nationals Are No Match For Padres' Latos, Fall 7-1https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48897/dc-fave.png2010-07-08T22:01:24-04:00http://dc.sbnation.com/rss/stream/13236612010-07-08T22:01:24-04:002010-07-08T22:01:24-04:00Nationals Fall To Padres 7-1
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<p>Washington, DC (Sports Network) - <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../../mlb/players/69508/Mat_Latos">Mat Latos</a> spun seven scoreless innings and hit his first career home run to send San Diego to a 7-1 win over Washington in the last of a three-game set.</p>
<p><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../../mlb/players/4300/Chris_Denorfia">Chris Denorfia</a>, <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../../mlb/players/246/Chase_Headley">Chase Headley</a> and Jerry Hairston, Jr. also hit home runs for the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../../mlb/teams/SDP">Padres</a>, who salvaged the final game of the series.</p>
<p>Latos (10-4) allowed five hits, walked two and struck out eight for San Diego, which has won five of its last seven games.</p>
<p><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../../mlb/players/57013/Luis_Atilano">Luis Atilano</a> (6-6) suffered the loss after being charged with four runs on eight hits over 5 1/3 innings, while walking two and recording a pair of strikeouts for the Nats, who split six games in the season series.</p>
https://dc.sbnation.com/2010/7/8/1560088/nationals-padres-score-recap-matt-latosAlex Reed2010-07-08T17:58:02-04:002010-07-08T17:58:02-04:00Nationals Try To Keep Bats Hot In Series Finale With Padres
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<p>(Sports Network) - At just 22 years old, <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/69508/Mat_Latos">Mat Latos</a> has quickly emerged as the ace of a San Diego staff that's been among the best in baseball this season. The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/teams/SDP">Padres</a> will ask their young standout to play the role of stopper when the National League West leaders wrap up a three-game series with the homestanding <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/teams/WAS">Washington Nationals</a> this evening.</p>
<p>Latos enters tonight's matchup with a 9-4 record and a 2.62 earned run average in 16 starts and has limited opposing hitters to a .193 average, best in the majors so far this season. The talented right-hander comes in having won eight of his last nine decisions and has surrendered two runs or less in all but one of his past 11 starts.</p>
<p>The Nationals were one of Latos' victims earlier this year, as he held tonight's foe to two runs on four hits while striking out eight over six innings in a May 29 triumph at Petco Park. He also bested Washington with 5 2/3 innings of two-run ball at Nationals Park during July of last season.</p>
<p>As a team San Diego leads the major leagues with a collective 3.14 ERA, but the playoff hopefuls haven't pitched particularly well during this series. After dropping a 6-5 decision in Tuesday's opener, Padre hurlers served up four homers -- three to <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/418/Adam_Dunn">Adam Dunn</a> -- as the Nationals came through with a 7-6 triumph.</p>
<p>Dunn registered the first three-homer game of his career and first by a Nationals player since <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/695/Alfonso_Soriano">Alfonso Soriano</a> accomplished the feat on April 21, 2006. The first baseman's final blast, a solo shot off reliever <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/1105/Joe_Thatcher">Joe Thatcher</a> in the bottom of the eighth inning, gave Washington a 7-5 lead and proved to be the deciding run.</p>
<p>"Dunn is a prolific home run hitter," said Padres manager Bud Black said. "It's what he does. You make a mistake, at times he will make you pay."</p>
<p>Dunn accounted for five of the Nationals' six runs on the night, with <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/33859/Ian_Desmond">Ian Desmond</a> adding a solo homer in the sixth inning. Starting pitcher <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/31813/J_D_Martin">J.D. Martin</a> (1-4) did his part as well, yielding two runs on six hits over the first 5 2/3 innings to pick up his first win since September 18 of last season.</p>
<p>San Diego pulled within 7-6 on Matt Stairs' pinch-hit homer off Nats closer <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/366/Matt_Capps">Matt Capps</a> in the ninth and got the potential tying run to third with two outs. However, Capps got <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/246/Chase_Headley">Chase Headley</a> to ground out to first to earn his 23rd save of the year.</p>
<p><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/199/Adrian_Gonzalez">Adrian Gonzalez</a> had a big night at the plate as well for San Diego, with the All-Star first baseman going 4-for-5 with a homer and two RBI. That wasn't enough to offset a poor showing from starter <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/329/Jon_Garland">Jon Garland</a> (8-6), with the veteran righty tagged for six runs on eight hits -- three of which were homers -- in a six-inning stint.</p>
<p>The Padres, who entered this series off a three-game home sweep of Houston, still hold a three-game lead on both Colorado and Los Angeles in the NL West race.</p>
<p>San Diego will try to bounce back in the team's first-ever encounter with <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/57013/Luis_Atilano">Luis Atilano</a>. The Washington rookie has done a credible job since joining the rotation in late April, having posted a 6-5 record with a 4.72 ERA in 14 starts, but has taken a loss in four of his past five decisions.</p>
<p>Atilano struggled in a home defeat to the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/teams/NYM">New York Mets</a> back on Friday, lasting just 3 2/3 innings and permitting five runs on four hits. The right- hander had pitched well in his two previous starts, allowing three runs (two earned) in a seven-inning no-decision at Baltimore on June 27 and holding Kansas City to a run over 5 1/3 frames five days earlier to record his most recent win.</p>
<p>The 25-year-old has given up only one homer in 31 2/3 innings of work at home this season, but is just 2-3 with a 5.68 ERA over six starts at Nationals Park.</p>
<p>San Diego took two of three games from the Nationals at Petco Park earlier this season and is 10-5 over the last 15 encounters between these teams.</p>
https://dc.sbnation.com/2010/7/8/2317650/nationals-try-to-keep-bats-hot-in-series-finale-with-padresMichael Bean