Seth Lugo was terrific in a tough-luck no-decision against the Padres on Sunday, piling up seven strikeouts over 6 1/3 innings of one-run baseball.
The 35-year-old right-hander scattered just two hits on the afternoon and didn’t walk a batter. Lugo allowed a leadoff single to Fernando Tatis Jr. to open the game, then didn’t allow another base runner until Jackson Merrill led off the seventh inning with a double. He left with Merrill on second base with one out and a 2-0 lead. The Royals’ bullpen not only allowed the inherited runner to score, but Lugo’s shot at a victory was gone as well before the inning was through. He generated 14 swings and misses on 90 pitches on the day — four each on his sinker and changeup — while posting a strong CSW of 33 percent. He’ll carry a stellar 2.82 ERA, 1.05 WHIP and a 68/23 K/BB (83 innings) into Saturday’s tough battle against the Dodgers.