San Diego Pardes starting pitcher Michael King deserved better than what he got. The right-hander has returned to form as the ace of the staff, especially with Nick Pivetta, Yu Darvish and Joe Musgrove, on the injured list and he delivered a six-inning performance allowing one run on one hit before he was removed from the game after 86 pitches. When King walked off the mound, the game was tied, 1-1 but the Padres allowed another run to the St. Louis Cardinals in the top of the seventh inning and lost the game, 2-1 to open a four-game set at Petco Park.

King’s one hit allowed was a solo home run off the bat of Alec Burleson in the top of the fourth inning, which tied the game at 1-1. King was dominant throughout the game and looked to be in control recording six strikeouts, while allowing two walks. Bradgley Rodriguez took the mound for King in the top of the seventh inning and allowed a leadoff double to Jordan Walker. He struck out Nolan Gorman, but then allowed a triple to Masyn Winn, which gave St. Louis a 2-1 lead. To his credit, Rodriguez stranded Winn at third base, getting the next two batters to strikeout and groundout to end the inning.

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San Diego got on the board in the bottom of the first inning with a check swing flyball off the bat of Xander Bogaerts that sailed over the infield and dropped into right field for a single that allowed Manny Machado to score to give the Padres a 1-0 lead. The San Diego offense could not get anything going after that, scratching out just four hits against St. Louis pitching. Two of those hits came from Fernando Tatis Jr. who opened the bottom of the seventh inning with a single to right field. Tatis Jr. then stole second base, or so it appeared, but he was called out. The play went to review, but the call was upheld although it was clear his right foot contacted the base prior to him being tagged. There was no way to know at the time, but Tatis Jr. would be the last Padres batter to reach base in the game.

San Diego will continue searching for offensive consistency today against St. Louis at 6:45 p.m.

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