Drew's RBI triple in ninth lifts Nationals past Padres
WASHINGTON -- Stephen Drew hit a ball into the right-center field gap for a triple in the last of the ninth inning with one out off Kevin Quackenbush to drive in the winning run as the Washington Nationals beat the San Diego Padres 3-2 on Saturday night.
Drew's hit scored Anthony Rendon, who singled to start the ninth for his second hit of the game.
The winning pitcher was Jonathan Papelbon (2-2), who pitched a scoreless ninth, and Quackenbush (6-4) was saddled with the loss.
The first-place Nationals (58-40) won for just the second time in six games and the fourth-place Padres (42-56) have lost five of the last six. Washington is now 4-8 against the National League West.
Matt Kemp, who had two hits, smashed the first pitch in the top of the ninth for a double to left off Papelbon. After an intentional walk with two outs to Ryan Schimpf, pinch-hitter Brett Wallace popped out to the end the inning.
San Diego starter Edwin Jackson, who pitched for Washington in 2012, allowed six hits and two runs in six innings before Jose Dominguez took over in the seventh.
Washington starter Max Scherzer gave up two runs and four hits with 10 strikeouts in seven innings. It was the eighth time that Scherzer fanned at least 10 batters this year and the 44th time in his career. He struck out the last three batters he faced, reaching 97 mph on his last fastball.
Jose Dominguez pitched a scoreless seventh for the Padres. Lefty Ryan Buchter, a former draft pick of the Nationals, came on in the eighth and gave up a two-out walk to Wilson Ramos before getting the third out.
Washington's Shawn Kelley allowed a two-out triple to Travis Jankowski in the eighth but then fanned Wil Myers looking to end the threat. Myers, who got a day off Friday, struck out three times.
Ryan Schimpf, hitting .225 at game time, hit a long two-run homer off Scherzer in the second to give the Padres a 2-0 lead. His eighth homer of the year also scored Yangervis Solarte, who had singled to lead off the inning.
Scherzer has a habit of giving up homers to non-power hitters. The previous homer he allowed was July 4 at home to Martin Maldonado (three homers through Friday) of the Milwaukee Brewers.
Before that, he gave up two homers on June 24 at Milwaukee to Keon Broxton and Kirk Nieuwenhuis. That was the first homer of the year for Broxton and the fourth for Nieuwenhuis.
Washington's Daniel Murphy had a sacrifice fly in the third to drive in Ben Revere and cut the margin to 2-1 against Jackson.
The Padres tried to ruin the timing of Scherzer in the third. Wil Myers stepped out on Scherzer before striking out and the next batter, Kemp, also stepped out against the annoyed pitcher.
Revere tied the score at 2 with an RBI double in the fifth.
Scherzer gave up just one run or fewer in seven of his previous eight starts.
Jackson was making his second start for the Padres after he began the season with the Miami Marlins. He has won a game as a starter for nine big league teams, a record he holds with Mike Morgan and David Wells, according to ELIAS.
NOTES: The game time temperature was 94 degrees. ... ESPN reported that San Diego LF Melvin Upton Jr. could be traded to an American League East team, and FOX Sports said the Baltimore Orioles could be a landing spot. The Orioles had director of player personnel John Stockstill at Friday and Saturday's games in Washington. "We've chatted a little bit," Padres manager Andy Green said of Upton before Saturday's game. "Right now it's out in the distance. He's in the situation where multiple teams are after him, multiple teams are in the chase for a pennant, and winning the World Series. He's done all the things for people to take notice that he is the player from back in Tampa." Upton broke in with Tampa Bay in 2004 and also played for the team from 2006-12. Upton was hitting .259 with 16 home runs and 45 RBIs through Friday. Upton was in the starting lineup Saturday. ... San Diego RHP Andrew Cashner could also be dealt, according to several sources. "The way that Andrew has taken the ball out his last two starts have been his best two starts of the year, so it's (the rumors) clearly not impacting him," Green said. Cashner is 4-7 with a 4.79 ERA in 15 starts. ... Padres RHP Edwin Jackson, the Saturday starter, was 10-11 with a 4.03 ERA in 2012 for the Nationals. ... The Padres entered Saturday with a homer in 20 games in a row, a franchise record and the best streak in the National League this year. ... In Sunday's series finale, the Padres will start LHP Christian Friedrich (4-6, 4.55) against Washington rookie RHP Lucas Giolito (0-0, 4.70), who has made two big league starts.