 allowed four hits, struck out a career-high eight and walked one. The 21-year-old right-hander lowered his ERA to 1.62.Soroka threw only 81 pitches before he was lifted for pinch-hitter Charlie Culberson with the bases loaded in the sixth. Culberson lined out to left.The Braves' recent bullpen struggles made the decision to pinch-hit for Soroka possibly difficult for manager Brian Snitker. Right-hander Josh Tomlin rewarded Snitker by throwing two scoreless innings. Tomlin stranded runners on first and second in the eighth when he induced a popup to first by Manny Machado.Left-hander Jerry Blevins, obtained from Oakland on Sunday for $1, struck out Eric Hosmer on three pitches to open the ninth. Rookie right-hander Jacob Webb recorded the final two outs for his first save, one day after his first win. Webb struck out pinch-hitter Wil Myers to end the game.Greg Garcia, making his first start of the season at shortstop with rookie Fernando Tatis Jr. out with a sore hamstring, singled off Soroka to open the game and eventually scored on Machado's double-play grounder.Albies extended Atlanta's lead to 3-1 in the fifth with his sixth homer, which hit the facing of the second deck in left field.Albies is enjoying an early power surge for the second straight season. He hit nine homers in March and April last season before finishing with 24.The Padres committed three errors, including two on one third-inning play, which allowed Atlanta's first run.First baseman Hosmer fielded Soroka's bunt near the mound and threw to second. Garcia couldn't handle the throw, which also skipped past Manuel Margo in center field. Johan Camargo scored from first and Soroka ran to third as Hosmer and Margot were charged with throwing and fielding errors, respectively.Soroka scored on Albies' single to right field for a 2-1 lead. Both runs in the inning off Nick Margevicius were unearned. Margevicius (2-3) allowed three runs, one earned, on four hits and three walks in 5 2/3 innings.TRAINER'S ROOMPadres: Tatis did not start after hurting his hamstring on Sunday. He was hurt when he did an awkward-looking split while trying to stretch for a throw at second base at Washington. Manager Andy Green said it's too soon to know if Tatis avoid the injured list. A decision could come Tuesday.Braves: CF Ender Inciarte left the game with tightness in his right hamstring following a third-inning single. The Braves said the decision to remove Inciarte from the game was precautionary. ... RHP Chad Sobotka was placed on the 10-day injured list with a left abdomen strain. LHP Grant Dayton was recalled from Triple-A Gwinnett.UP NEXTPadres: Rookie RHP Chris Paddack's .112 opponent batting average ranks first among pitchers who have logged at least 25 innings. Paddack is 1-1, and his 1.67 ERA ranks third entering Tuesday night's start against the Braves.Braves: RHP Julio Teheran (2-3, 5.40 ERA) is 5-3 with a 3.73 ERA in 10 career starts against the Padres. He was 1-1 with a 3.60 ERA in two starts against San Diego in 2018.---More MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/-Sports)
Young arms on display as Padres visit Braves Two promising young pitchers will be on the mound when the San Diego Padres open a four-game series against the host Atlanta Braves on Monday.San Diego will start with left-hander Nick Margevicius (2-2, 3.60 ERA) and the Braves will counter with right-hander Mike Soroka (1-1, 1.69 ERA).Atlanta salvaged a game of its three-game series by beating Colorado on Sunday but has lost six of its last 10 games. San Diego dropped a 7-6 decision to Washington and is 5-5 over its last 10.San Diego could be without rookie shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr., who left Sunday's game with an injury. Tatis fell to the ground after trying to stretch for a throw. Tatis was able to get up and walk off the field on his own power.The loss of Tatis would certainly hurt the Padres' lineup. The rookie had a 12-game hitting streak end Friday and had a career-high three hits and a stolen base on Sunday. He is hitting .300 with six homers and went 4-for-13 against the Nationals.Margevicius, a rookie, is a finesse pitcher who showed good command during spring training. His control has been excellent other than the start that saw him walk five batters in five innings against the Seattle Mariners.Margevicius has been consistent all season. He has worked at least five innings in four of his five starts and has allowed more than two runs only once, that coming two starts ago when he allowed five runs against Colorado's powerful lineup. He bounced back from that loss to beat the Mariners on April 23."I was just missing a little bit and those misses are amplified. I thought my stuff was there (against Colorado)," Margevicius said. "I thought my stuff was there last week. I didn't doubt myself at all. I went to work, learned some things and I'm happy how it went." Although he doesn't have overpowering stuff, Margevicius has fanned 18 in 20 innings. He has walked seven and has given up one or fewer walks in four of his outings.This will be his first appearance against the Braves.Soroka has looked good in two starts this season, most recently on Wednesday against Cincinnati. He worked 5 2/3 innings and allowed one run on five hits and three walks. Soroka struck out seven Reds and has fanned 13 in 10 2/3 innings this season.Veteran catcher Brian McCann, who rejoined the Braves this season, has been impressed by the poise shown by the 21-year-old pitcher."He doesn't get caught up in where he's at," McCann said. "I know this is the big leagues and you probably wait your whole life to get here, but when you can slow the moment down, the game becomes easier. He has that ability. He's well beyond his years." Atlanta made a roster move to strengthen its bullpen. The Braves acquired veteran left-hander Jerry Blevins from the Oakland A's for cash and activated him for Sunday's game. Blevins made his debut against the Rockies and worked one-third of an inning with a walk.--Field Level Media
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