Nationals’ pitching falters in 7-5 loss to Padres

The highest- and one of the lowest-scoring offenses played Friday night at Nationals Park.

But you wouldn’t have known which was which after the Nationals’ 7-5 loss against the Padres.

The Padres entered last in batting average (.218) and on-base percentage (.291) and second to last in slugging percentage (.361). They also entered with the fifth-fewest runs in the majors. But they found the perfect remedy against the Nationals.

It was the first start Jake Irvin has missed since going on the 15-day injured list with a right shoulder strain. Irvin left his last game against the Braves after five no-hit innings. He and the team anticipated a minimal stay on the IL, but it could be longer because he has yet to begin throwing.

“We just needed to make sure, one, it’s recovering the way it is, and the same thing we’ve told Jake all along, is our goal is we want you to be back at that minimum stay,” manager Blake Butera said pregame. “But at the end of the day we want to make sure Jake’s fully healthy because, if we’re gonna make a run at this thing, we need him to be fully healthy.”

Right-hander Paxton Schultz opened Friday’s game and allowed a run in the first inning. Left-hander Andrew Alvarez entered in the second inning and walked Ramón Laureano before inducing a phenomenal double play turned by Nasim Nuñez and a groundout by Freddy Fermin.

Alvarez’s velocity was down across the board, and he couldn’t get much whiff (18%).

“Something that I didn’t do well today is putting guys away,” said Alvarez, who allowed three runs on five hits, with two walks and one strikeout.

Overall, the Nationals’ pitching staff struggled to induce much whiff, finishing with a combined five strikeouts and four walks.

“The big thing for me was just, when we were ahead, we couldn’t finish,” Butera said. “[We] didn’t strike out a ton of guys. I think the main takeaway is that we just couldn’t put them away.”

The Padres got to Alvarez in the fourth inning. Designated hitter Miguel Andujar led off with a single. Laureano reached base after grounding into a forceout. He stole second base and advanced to third on first baseman Ty France’s single, eventually scoring after Fermin grounded out to cut the Nationals’ lead to 4-3. They tied the game on second baseman Fernando Tatis Jr.’s RBI single.

The Nationals took a 5-4 lead in the fifth inning on Jacob Young’s RBI single, but their collection of pitchers couldn’t hold the lead.

France homered off left-hander Mitchell Parker to tie the game at 5. Sloppy defense and subpar pitching from Parker allowed the Padres to take the lead in the seventh. Xander Bogaerts reached base on a throwing error by Nuñez.

Parker induced a pop-up by Manny Machado but allowed a two-run homer from Jackson Merrill to give San Diego a 7-5 lead. Parker threw Merrill a 2-1 slider down in the strike zone, and Merrill made a good swing.

“Just execution,” Parker said of what he would want to do better. “I like the pitch decision. I just got to execute.”

Despite a shaky pitching performance, the Nationals’ offense made the Padres bullpen work in the eighth inning. Daylen Lile grounded out to begin the inning, but back-to-back singles by José Tena and Keibert Ruiz put runners on first and third with one out. Pinch hitter Jorbit Vivas flied out on a first-pitch fastball.

With two outs and James Wood on deck, the Padres brought in All-Star closer Mason Miller. Wood drew a six-pitch walk, but Luis García Jr. couldn’t get the big hit.

“That’s a really good bullpen,” Butera said. “When they’re taking someone like Jason Adam, one of the best relievers in baseball, out after facing three batters and six pitches, that is a testament of how good our lineup is. And I thought the at-bats against [Adam] were really good.

“I thought Woody’s at-bat was awesome. I thought Luis’ at-bat was awesome too. I mean, he gets a 3-2 fastball at 101 mph, then he drives it to left field and almost burns the left fielder. If that [ball] just gets over his head, we’re sitting up here having a different conversation.”

This article has been updated.