Padres Drop Sixth Straight Game, Offense Has Just Three Hits In Shutout Loss To Mets

At this rate, it is tough to say that the San Diego Padres are going to be a playoff team. 

The Padres are coming off a three-game sweep of the Philadelphia Phillies on the road, and not even a return to Petco Park and San Diego could change the team's fortunes. 

The New York Mets, who have one of the worst records in the National League, took the first game of the series with a 5-0 win over the Padres on Friday night. 

Michael King got the start for San Diego, but he gave up a solo home run to Jared Young in the second and then an RBI triple to Bo Bichette in the third as the Mets jumped out to an early 2-0 lead. 

King then allowed a two-run home run by former Padre catcher Luis Torrens in the fifth that made the score 4-0. 

King ended up going six innings, allowing four runs on six hits with no walks, but he now has a 4-5 record with a 3.41 ERA in what is the third straight start with four or more earned runs. 

David Morgan, who was recalled from Triple-A El Paso on Friday after Jeremiah Estrada landed on the IL and Ramon Laureano also landed on the IL, threw two scoreless innings with just one hit in first game at Petco Park since the end of April. 

And, things have been so bad for San Diego that manager Craig Stammen decided to use closer Mason Miller in the ninth, despite the Mets having a four-run lead. 

Miller hadn't pitched since May 29, and they have used Miller just once since May 24. 

Miller went two-thirds of an inning, giving up two hits and one run as his ERA climbed to 1.05. 

But, the sluggish offense was once again the story of the game. San Diego had just three hits - all singles - with one of them coming in the first from Fernando Tatis Jr. 

Ty France singled in the second, and the only other hit came in the sixth when Manny Machado singled. 

The only other San Diego baserunner was Rodolfo Duran, who walked twice. 

The Padres have now been shutout three times since May 25, and there is no telling when - or if- this offense turns around. 

Maybe San Diego needs to fire its hitting coach. Maybe Stammen needs to bench some guys and just try and light a fire underneath them. Or, maybe, this is a lost season for the Padres. 

The Padres will try and end the six-game losing streak on Saturday as Griffin Canning (0-4, 7.16 ERA) takes the mound against Nolan McLean (3-4, 4.21 ERA).