San Diego Padres Lose to Cincinnati in Lockett’s Debut

The San Diego Padres dropped the opener of their three-game set to the Cincinnati Reds last night, 7-2. Walker Lockett made his debut with mixed results.

Walker Lockett’s MLB debut didn’t go exactly to plan for any of the involved parties. The San Diego Padres lost the opener of a weekend series with the Cincinnati Reds, 7-2, spoiling the rookie right-hander’s initial outing.

The 24-year-old Jacksonville, FL native got through the first inning cleanly, giving up just a walk to the reigning king of bases-on-balls, Joey Votto. He allowed his first base hit in the top of the second, a liner to right courtesy of Jose Peraza, but escaped the frame unharmed.

After a leadoff walk to Billy Hamilton to lead off the third inning, a stolen base (of course), Hamilton came around to score the game’s first run on a Tucker Barnhart groundball out. He walked Votto again, but retired Scooter Gennett to end the inning.

Just to round out the coverage, Lockett struck out in his first MLB at-bat in the third. His plate appearance wasn’t terrible. It took Tyler Mahle six pitches to eventually retire the neophyte, going down swinging at a 95 MPH four-seamer.

In the fourth is when Walker Lockett came undone. He walked Eugenio Suarez to lead off the inning. Scott Schebler singled in the next at-bat, moving Suarez over to second. Peraza then doubled to center field to empty the bases and the Reds were on top 3-0.

After striking out Mahle and Hamilton, Lockett walked Jesse Winkler. Barnhart singled to score Peraza, then Robbie Erlin came in to retire Votto on an unassisted putout by Eric Hosmer.

Scooter Gennett homered to center field on a 1-0 slider that didn’t really slide to start the fifth, and the Reds were beginning to pull away.

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Padres couldn’t take advantage of opportunities

Travis Jankowski led off the bottom of the first with a single to left but was erased in the next at-bat by Hosmer’s double-play.

Christian Villanueva singled to lead off the second and Hunter Renfroe added a one-out base knock after him, but Rafael Lopez struck out and Freddy Galvis lined out to right to end the threat.

Jankowski was left stranded after taking a one-out walk in the third inning. This was beginning to become a trend for the evening for the San Diego Padres.

The Padres were set down in order in the fourth inning (their first time being so all night). Eric Hosmer then left Galvis and Manuel Margot in scoring position to end the fifth.

Jose Pirela led off the sixth with a double, but Villanueva, Cory Spangenberg, and Renfroe were retired by Michael Lorenzen (replaced Mahle after the double) to keep the shutout intact for Cincinnati.

Friars put a few on the board

The Friars went down one-two-three in both the seventh and eighth innings but were able to finally lose the goose-egg in the ninth inning.

Villanueva and Spangenberg both made outs to start the frame, then Hunter Renfroe doubled, Raffy Lopez walked, and Freddy Galvis tripled to bring them home. Margot grounded out to end the game, but at least things ended on somewhat of a high note.

Not to be lost in the fray, Bryan Mitchell didn’t pitch all that terrific, allowing two earned runs on three hits, walking two and striking out two over four innings of relief.

Next: Padres May Report Card

If this is the role that he’s stuck in (mop-up duty/long-relief) until he either proves himself or earns a DFA, so be it. Maybe he’ll find a niche.