"Red Sox starter John Lackey did not get the run support he's grown dependent on.

Lackey entered yesterday's interleague series finale against the San Diego Padres riding a three-game win streak, during which the Red Sox outscored the opposition 32-11 overall and 28-10 at the time the right-hander exited the game.

The combination of four rain delays, Lackey's wildness and a rare stellar start by San Diego southpaw Clayton Richard led to a weather-shortened 5-1 setback at Fenway Park. The game was called in the eighth inning.

Lackey dropped to 5-6 in 11 starts while his ERA rose to 7.36. In 31/3 innings he allowed five runs on four hits with four strikeouts, four walks, two hit batters and a wild pitch. He threw 83 pitches (48 strikes).

"I felt OK, nothing great, nothing bad," Lackey said. "I felt I was just trying to get into the game."

After a 35-minute rain delay pushed back the start time, Lackey needed only five pitches to give the Padres a 1-0 lead. Padres leadoff hitter Will Venable worked the count even at 2-2, then deposited a cutter into the right field grandstands for his first home run of the season.

"He got ahead right away and then left a cutter over the plate," Red Sox manager Terry Francona said. "He was throwing strikes and I thought he was throwing the ball very well, actually."

Lackey experienced no lingering effects from the leadoff homer. He retired three straight to end the first, then allowed a hit and two walks over the next two innings and went into the fourth trailing by a run. According to Francona, Lackey lost his rhythm during the second rain delay, which lasted 38 minutes."