Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
Kids shine, Phillies wilt
SAN DIEGO » Cory Spangenberg shined on the field in almost every way possible Tuesday night.
The third baseman homered for the third time in four games and had a career-best four RBIs as the San Diego Padres cruised to an 8-4 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies.
“He hits it all over the ballpark, is solid defensively and stole a base,” Padres manager Andy Green said. “He does a lot. If I’m a fan showing up at the ballpark, he is as fun of a guy as you are going to see.”
Spangenberg set a career high with his 12th home run, and Dinelson Lamet (7-4) turned in one of his finest performances on the mound.
A rookie right-hander with a power arm, Lamet held the Phillies hitless over the first 4 2/3 innings in winning for the fourth time in his last five starts. He tied a career high by working seven innings, allowing two runs, three hits and a walk. He struck out seven.
“I’ve been working on my fastball command, keeping it down and away,” Lamet said through a translator. “Then I can use my slider, down and in.”
Philadelphia didn’t put a batter on base until Maikel Franco was hit by a pitch to open the fifth, which preceded Jorge Alfaro’s first major league homer to cut the Padres’ lead to 4-2.
Philadelphia never got any closer and lost for the fifth time in six games.
“I think it’s my confidence in myself,” Lamet said. “I don’t go out there thinking I’m a rookie and I can’t compete. I’m thinking that I’m a veteran.”
Carter Capps and Kyle McGrath worked the final two innings for the Padres as they clinched their first series win in August.
Rhys Hoskins, called up on Thursday, hit his third homer in two days, a tworun shot in the ninth for Philadelphia. Cesar Hernandez had two of the Phillies’ six hits.
The Padres tacked on four unearned runs in the fifth, taking advantage of Franco booting Wil Myers’ easy grounder at third. Alfaro, the catcher, also had a throwing error.
Hector Sanchez struck the big blow with a two-run homer as the Padres pulled away to an 8-2 lead.
“I think he was getting too anxious to turn a double play and got ahead of himself,” Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said of Franco’s miscue.
Phillies starter Mark Leiter (1-3), a reliever for most of his rookie season, pitched five innings and was charged with eight runs (four earned) and seven hits. He walked three and struck out one.
“Definitely not my best command,” Leiter said. “I’ve just got to make better pitches to get out of some of these jams and not let it get away from us. Try to keep it close.”
San Diego went ahead 4-0 in the fourth on Spangenberg’s homer, his fifth straight hit over two games.
The Padres struck quickly, scoring three times in the first. Yangervis Solarte’s double, which was misplayed by Hoskins in left field, drove in Carlos Asuaje after his oneout walk. Leiter then walked Myers, and Spangenberg hit a two-run double to rightcenter.