For the eighth time this season, and fifth for a starting pitcher, a new member of the Phillies took the field for his major-league debut.
This was Alec Asher, joining three other rookies in the Phillies rotation, as a first-time starter in the majors.
It wasn't a bad debut for Asher, but his teammates couldn't eliminate an early deficit, allowing the Padres to salvage the series finale with a 9-3 win on Sunday at Citizens Bank Park.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |
| Padres | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 9 | 16 | 0 |
| Phillies | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 10 | 0 |
WP: James Shields (10-6, 3.78 ERA) LP: Alec Asher (0-1, 6.35 ERA)
The Padres greeted Asher with an early lead as Matt Kemp belted a two-run home run to left.
The Phillies answered with a solo home run by Cameron Rupp, his eighth of the season, in the second. But the Padres quickly got the run back on a solo home run by Justin Upton in the third.
That score held until the sixth when pitcher James Shields drove in a run.
That ended Asher's day after 5 2/3 innings. He allowed four runs on eight hits, walking one and striking out three.
Hector Neris entered to finish the sixth and pitch the seventh. He allowed a solo home run to Yangervis Solarte to open the seventh.
Adam Loewen was charged with three runs as he allowed RBI hits to Clint Barmes and Brett Wallace before Justin De Fratus allowed another run to score on an RBI single by Derek Norris.
The Phillies did add a pair of runs in the eighth on an RBI triple by Cesar Hernandez and an RBI single by Aaron Altherr.
The Padres put a run back on the board in the top of the ninth with an RBI single by Melvin Upton Jr. The Phillies capped the scoring following a triple by Andres Blanco, as he scored on an RBI groundout by Cody Asche.
Starting Pitchers
| IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR | ERA | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| James Shields | 7.0 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 1 | 3.78 |
| Alec Asher | 5.2 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 6.35 |
- Shields: W; 108 pitches, 66 strikes; 3 groundouts, 4 flyouts; 26 faced batters
- Asher: L; 93 pitches, 56 strikes; 4 groundouts, 5 flyouts; 26 faced batters
Out of the 'Pen
Phillies
- Hector Neris (6th-7th): 1 1/3 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 3 SO, 1 HR, 4.55 ERA
- Adam Loewen (8th): 0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 0 SO, 0 HR, 8.10 ERA
- Justin De Fratus (8th-9th): 2 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 SO, 0 HR, 5.80 ERA
Padres
- Odrisamer Desaigne (8th): 2 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 2 SO, 0 HR, 5.26 ERA
At the Plate
Phillies
- Cameron Rupp: 1-3, R, HR (8), RBI (24), BB, SO
- Odubel Herrera: 4-4, R
- Cesar Hernandez: 2-4, R, 3B (4), RBI (30), SO
Padres
- Matt Kemp: 1-5, R, HR (16), 2 RBI (80), 1 SO
- Justin Upton: 1-5, R, HR (24), RBI (72)
- Yonder Alonso: 3-5, 2 R
What's Next:
- Monday, August 31, 2015 at New York Mets, 7:10 p.m.
- RHP Jerad Eickhoff (1-1, 2.25 ERA) vs. RHP Bartolo Colon (11-11, 4.65 ERA)
- TV: CSN; Radio: 94 WIP, 1210 WPHT, WTTM 1680 (Sp.)
Kevin Durso is editorial assistant for Philliedelphia. Follow him on Twitter @Kevin_Durso.
