ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) -- No one ever told Bud Black that managing was going to be easy when he took over the Padres nine years ago.
Black was caught in one of those push-come-to-shove choices in the ninth inning Monday night against the Angels, the team he left as pitching coach to come to San Diego.
He had closer Craig Kimbrel on the mound with runners at the corners, two out, reigning AL MVP Mike Trout due up and three-time NL MVP Albert Pujols on deck.
He decided to intentionally walk Trout and load the bases for Pujols, who came through with a broken-bat single to left field to give the Angels a 4-3 victory after the Padres rallied to tie the game with a three-run seventh.
"That's a tough one. It really is," Black said. "You've got arguably the best player in the game right now, and a future Hall of Famer. So `pick your poison' is a good term. And it didn't work out for us.
"Craig against Albert is not ideal -- and neither is Trout against Kimbrel. Trout might have done the same thing," he said.
Kevin Quackenbush (1-1) gave up a one-out walk to Marc Krauss and No. 9 hitter Johnny Giavotella followed with a single up the middle that sent pinch-runner Collin Cowgill to third. Kimbrel came in and struck out Erick Aybar before giving Trout his seventh intentional pass of the season.
"I've been in that situation before, and it's not rocket science. If I was the manager, I would have done the same thing," Pujols said. "As a hitter in that situation, the last thing you want to do is get caught up in that because it's just part of the game. You have to understand that you've got one of the best hitters in the game right now hitting in front of you, so it doesn't make any sense to let the best guy on the team beat you."
Tyson Ross allowed three runs and 10 hits over six innings and struck out seven as the Padres opened the second leg of their Southern California road trip.
"The fastball command left him at times, but I thought the slider was outstanding," Black said of Ross. "They rolled some balls through, but he made a couple of nice pitches to keep it from getting worse."
Jered Weaver gave up a run and six hits in 6 2-3 innings after winning his previous three starts. The 10-year veteran was pulled by manager Mike Scioscia after 104 pitches with a 3-0 lead. That was promptly squandered by rookie Jose Alvarez.
The 26-year-old left-hander failed to retire any of the three batters he faced, giving up a walk to pinch-hitter Jedd Gyorko, an RBI double to Yangervis Solarte and a tying two-run single to Will Venable that got Tyson Ross off the hook. Prior to his at-bat, Solarte was 7 for 16 with runners in scoring position and two out.
"I told Mike that I was still good, but that I was comfortable if he wanted to go to the bullpen," Weaver said. "It's a tough call. They had a couple of lefties coming up there, and I was confident with Alvarez coming in. Obviously, it didn't work out, but we pulled out the win, so that's all that matters."
Joe Smith (1-1) pitched two innings for the victory.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Padres: CF Wil Myers is scheduled to have another scan done on his left wrist in San Diego on Tuesday, the day he was eligible to come off the disabled list. He has been sidelined since May 11 because of tendinitis. "He's doing a lot of strengthening exercises and he's encouraged by how he feels. But right now, there's no timetable," manager Bud Black said. ... RHP Josh Johnson, who underwent Tommy John surgery early last season, has stopped throwing because of what Black described as a "nerve situation" in his neck.
UP NEXT:
Padres: Odrisamer Despaigne (2-3) has lost his last three starts, allowing 17 runs and 26 hits over 14 innings. The Padres were outscored 24-0 in those games by the Diamondbacks (11-0), Nationals (10-0) and Cubs (3-0).
Angels: Matt Shoemaker (3-4) has lost four of his last five decisions, and is coming off an 8-4 loss at Toronto in which he allowed eight runs in six innings. This will be his first career start against San Diego
