PHILADELPHIA – Aaron Nola is eight starts into his major league career, and already he has made a favorable impression on the Philadelphia Phillies.

“I’ll take five pitchers just like him – five starters,” Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin said after the rookie right-hander worked seven strong innings to beat the San Diego Padres on Friday night, 7-1. “He knows what he’s doing.”

Nola (5-1) ran his personal winning streak to five by surrendering one run and two hits while striking out six and walking two. The only run he allowed came on Justin Upton’s solo homer in the fourth inning.

“It’s definitely good that they have confidence in me,” said Nola, who in his previous start pitched eight shutout innings to beat Miami. “I feel more comfortable now. I know I can pitch here.”

Catcher Cameron Rupp hit a three-run homer in a five-run eighth inning for the Phillies, who snapped a four-game losing streak.

Jerome Williams, temporarily dropped out of the Philadelphia rotation, worked two perfect innings for his first save.

San Diego lost for the fourth time in five games.

San Diego starter Ian Kennedy (8-12) pitched 6 2/3 innings and yielded two runs and two hits, while striking out seven and walking five. He also hit a batter, and his fourth-inning wild pitch produced a run.

“Overall, a terrific outing,” San Diego manager Pat Murphy said. “Another one where he can say he pitched well and gave us a chance.”

Kennedy said his control was “a little bit off” in the first inning, when he walked three but escaped unscathed when Phillies third baseman Andres Blanco lined into an inning-ending double play.

“I felt a lot better after that and gave the team a chance,” Kennedy said. “Our goal every time out is to go as far as we can.”

Neither team had a hit until Upton hit Nola's 3-0 fastball into the seats in left center field with one out in the fourth, giving the Padres a 1-0 lead. It was the 23rd homer of the season for Upton, the most by a Padre since Jedd Gyorko hit 23 two years ago.

The Phillies answered with two runs in their half of the fourth on an infield out and Kennedy's wild pitch.

In the meantime Nola was cruising. He allowed only two baserunners after Upton’s homer, but was lifted for a pinch hitter in the bottom of the seventh despite only throwing 86 pitches, 52 of them strikes.

“He’s a young guy, first year in the major leagues,” Mackanin said. “His last two outings he could have gone farther, but we don’t want anything to happen (health-wise). We just want to make sure that he comes out on a positive note. We have to do that this year.”

Philadelphia center fielder Odubel Herrera led off the eighth with an infield single and scored on a triple by right fielder Aaron Altherr. One out later third baseman Andres Blanco was hit by a pitch and pinch hitter Jeff Francoeur, batting for left fielder Cody Asche, roped an RBI double to left.

Rupp followed by hitting a 3-2 curveball from reliever Odrisamer Despaigne into the seats in left field, making it 7-1.

It was Rupp's seventh homer of the season.

“You can’t go up there, looking to hit home runs,” he said. “They just happen. I was told one time pitchers throw the home runs; hitters don’t hit them. You go up there and you look for a pitch you can drive, and when you get the good part of the bat on the ball, good things happen.”

NOTES: The Phillies placed LHP Elvis Araujo on the disabled list with a left groin strain and recalled RHP Nefi Ogando from Triple-A Lehigh Valley. ... The Phillies also announced that RHP Alec Asher, acquired from Texas in the Cole Hamels trade on July 31, will be called up from Lehigh Valley to start Sunday's game against San Diego. A corresponding roster move has yet to be announced. ... Philadelphia RHP Jerome Williams, a starter all season, will pitch out of the bullpen for the time being, though interim manager Pete Mackanin said it is possible Williams will return to the rotation when the rosters expand Tuesday. Mackanin also said that the Phillies continue to mull going to a six-man rotation the final month of the season to limit the number of innings worked by their young pitchers. ... Padres OF Matt Kemp was not in the starting lineup because of a sore left shoulder. He is day-to-day.

NOTES: The Phillies placed LHP Elvis Araujo on the disabled list with a left groin strain and recalled RHP Nefi Ogando from Triple-A Lehigh Valley. ... The Phillies also announced that RHP Alec Asher, acquired from Texas in the Cole Hamels trade on July 31, will be called up from Lehigh Valley to start Sunday's game against San Diego. A corresponding roster move has yet to be announced. ... Philadelphia RHP Jerome Williams, a starter all season, will pitch out of the bullpen for the time being, though interim manager Pete Mackanin said it is possible Williams will return to the rotation when the rosters expand Tuesday. Mackanin also said that the Phillies continue to mull going to a six-man rotation the final month of the season to limit the number of innings worked by their young pitchers. ... Padres OF Matt Kemp was not in the starting lineup because of a sore left shoulder. He is day-to-day.