Latos feels fine despite loss in season debut

SAN DIEGO – Mat Latos' season debut for the San Diego Padres ended the same way his final five starts of 2010 did — with a loss.

Otherwise, the ace said he felt fine after being activated from the 15-day disabled list.

"I can't complain about anything," Latos said after giving up two homers in a 3-2 loss to the Cincinnati Reds on Monday night. "I went out there and did exactly what I wanted to do. I didn't want a repeat of spring training."

Latos developed a sore right shoulder late in spring training.

He allowed a two-run homer to Chris Heisey and a solo shot by Jonny Gomes.

The homers got Edinson Volquez (2-0) off the hook after another rough first inning. He allowed two runs, making it nine combined in the opening inning in his first three starts. Volquez allowed only one more hit in the next five innings. He finished with five strikeouts and two walks.

Latos (0-1) started strongly with five strikeouts in his first three innings. He got out of a first-inning jam when he struck out Gomes to strand runners on first and second.

But Latos threw a 1-1 hanging curveball to Gomes with two outs in the fourth and he drove it into the balcony on the second level of the Western Metal Supply Co. brick warehouse in the left-field corner for his third homer.

The Reds went ahead 3-2 in the fifth when Heisey hit a high fastball into the seats in left, his first. Paul Janish was aboard on a one-out walk.

"I made two mistakes in the whole ballgame," Latos said. "Everything feels fine. Everything feels great. The feels 100 percent."

Latos went six innings, allowing three runs and four hits, with seven strikeouts and two walks.

"I thought he threw the ball well," manager Bud Black said. "His stuff was good. Good velocity, had a good crispness to his breaking ball and a good changeup."

Latos left after throwing 94 pitches.

"He was bearing down on 100 pitches," Black said. "I just thought it was time. He didn't need to throw 110, 115 pitches his first start of the season."

Volquez allowed singles to Will Venable and Orlando Hudson and walked Chase Headley to open the Padres' first. He hit Ryan Ludwick in the back to bring in a run and Brad Hawpe followed with a sacrifice fly.

Volquez's first-inning ERA is 27.00. His ERA after the first is 1.38.

Francisco Cordero pitched the ninth for his second save in as many chances.

NOTES: Dusty Baker won his 250th game as Reds manager, making him the 11th skipper in big league history with at least 250 wins for three different teams. He won 840 games with the San Francisco Giants and 322 with the Chicago Cubs. He's 23rd on the all time list with 1,412. ... To make room for Latos, the Padres optioned LHP Wade LeBlanc back to Triple-A Tucson. LeBlanc was recalled on Sunday as bullpen depth in the wake of the Padres having to finish Friday night's rain-delayed game before their regularly scheduled game Saturday night. ... Padres lefty Clayton Richard is scheduled to start Tuesday night against Sam LeCure. Richard pitched just one inning Friday night against Los Angeles before a rain delay of 1 hour, 34 minutes. Black felt the delay was too long to send Richard back out.