SAN DIEGO-- Coming off his best start of the year in which he threw six innings of one-run ball in D.C., Padres rookie Eric Lauer entered Monday afternoon looking to keep the good vibes going against the last-place Miami Marlins.
Instead, the southpaw took a step back.
Lauer lasted only 2 1/3 innings, allowing seven hits and five runs, all earned. He struck out three and walked one, throwing only 39 of his 63 pitches for strikes. Of those 63 pitches, Lauer induced only three swinging strikes.
He was rudely greeted almost immediately by the Marlins, who scored four runs on five consecutive hits with one out in the top of the first. Following an 11-pitch battle that ended in a strikeout of leadoff man Miguel Rojas, the Fish went double-single-double-single-single to plate the game's first four runs.
Starlin Castro, Cameron Maybin, and Yadiel Rivera all recorded run-scoring hits.
Following a scoreless second, Lauer found himself in trouble again in the third. With one out, Cameron Maybin drove in Starlin Castro (who had doubled to lead off the inning) with an RBI single. He walked the next batter on four pitches, which ended his day.
It was the third time in seven starts that Lauer had failed to throw more than three complete innings. His ERA now sits at 7.67.
