Phillies’ Williams pitches a gem in loss

JAY PARIS
Associated Press

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Jerome Williams’ fantastic effort was overshadowed by an even better outing by Andrew Cashner.

Cashner threw a two-hitter for his third career shutout and the Padres scored on Cody Asche’s fielding error in the second inning Monday night to beat the Phillies 1-0.

Cashner (4-7) allowed two hits, struck out seven and walked one in winning for the second straight time after going winless since April 16 against Colorado. Cashner has a franchise-best 17 straight home starts where he’s allowed two or fewer earned runs.

Williams (3-2) limited the Padres to an unearned run, three hits and two walks in 7 2-3 innings.

“It’s tough,” Williams said about his outing. “I just wanted to keep putting up zeros. Hopefully the guys could get some runs. Unfortunately, Casher threw a good game so you just tip your hat to him.”

The Phillies were without closer Jonathan Papelbon, who was suspended seven games and fined Monday night by Major League Baseball for making a lewd gesture and then bumping an umpire a day earlier. Papelbon declined to appeal and immediately began his ban.

The Padres scored in the second, when Rene Rivera opened the inning with a double. He scored when Cashner hit a hard grounder to Asche at third. Asche tried to backhand the ball, but was unable to do more than knock it down in drawing the error.

Cashner, who blanked the Tigers on April 11, retired the first 11 batters before Chase Utley walked.

Cashner had a no-hitter going until Dominic Brown bunted safely down the third-base line with one out in the fifth, with the Padres deploying a shift on the left-handed hitter.

“That is how you stop the shift,” Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg said. “With a tough pitcher out there, we needed base runners right there.”

Brown got a long look from Cashner after he reached first. Wil Nieves followed with a pop up to Jedd Gyorko, with Brown running on the pitch.

Brown was doubled off when he neglected to retouch second returning to first base.

The Phillies threatened in the eighth when Marlon Byrd singled and tried to advance to second on a flyout. Byrd was thrown out for the Padres’ second double play in four innings.

The Phillies never had a base runner in scoring position.

“Cashner was very good,” said Sandberg, who coached him for two years in the Cubs’ minor league system. “He established his fastball, changeup and breaking pitchers.

“Jerome was pretty good himself,” Sandberg added.

Just not good enough.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Padres: RHP Joaquin Benoit (sore right shoulder) took Monday off after throwing on Sunday. Benoit could throw again on Tuesday. Manager Bud Black said it was important to Benoit to return before the year is over.

“You want to end the season competing,” Black said. . RHP Tyson Ross will skip his start on Thursday for “general arm soreness,” Black said. He will be replaced in the rotation by LHP Robbie Erlin.

Phillies: SS Jimmy Rollins remains out of the lineup with a strained left hamstring. Rollins is increasing his baseball activities, according to manager Ryne Sandberg.

UP NEXT

Phillies RHP A.J. Burnett (8-16, 4.34 ERA) will try for his second win this season against the Padres when he faces RHP Ian Kennedy (10-13, 3.77). Kennedy has pitched at least six innings in 21 of his 30 starts this year.

BACK HOME

Phillies outfielder Tony Gwynn Jr., played his first game in San Diego since his father, Padres icon Tony Gwynn, passed away this summer. “It’s always good to come back,” he said. Gwynn was bragging about the San Diego Chargers, his favorite team, upsetting the Super Bowl champions Seahawks on Sunday. “I knew they could do it,” he said.

SORRY, FANS

The Padres start their final home stand two days after being eliminated from the NL West division race. San Diego hasn’t been to the postseason since 2006, when it won the NL West for the second consecutive year.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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