first pitch: 12:35 p.m., PT
television: none
matchup: Adam Eaton (5-1, 3.42 ERA) vs Horacio Ramirez (2-2, 3.47)
Pads have won six in a row and 15 of their last 18. Every day it’s the same story: Fall behind early, stay close through the middle innings, have someone step up late to win it. Tuesday night’s hero was Khalil Greene, dropping the bat head on an 0-2 offering from Braves closer Dan Kolb to serve up a bases-loaded single with one out in the ninth. John Smoltz shut down the Friars most of the night, but Darrell May limited the Braves to one run over five innings to keep them within striking distance.
Akinori Otsuka surrendered a solo homer to Andruw Jones in the top of the eighth to extend Atlanta’s lead to 2-0, but the Padres answered with a run of their own off Smoltz in the bottom half. And then, after holding serve in the top of the ninth, the Friars went to work against Kolb:
Ryan Klesko: walk on 4 pitches
Brian Giles: ground single to right on 2-2 pitch
Phil Nevin: chopper off the plate to shortstop on 2-2 pitch, Klesko scores
Ramon Hernandez: ground single to left-center on 3-1 pitch, Giles to third
Sean Burroughs: intentional walk
Greene: line single to left-center on 0-2 pitch, Giles scores, good night everybody
With the Diamondbacks losing to Houston, the Padres now have first place to themselves in the NL West.
Pads wrap up the homestand Wednesday afternoon with a chance to sweep their second straight series against a tough NL East foe. No television today, but feel free to drop on by and chat during the game. The matchup:
AB BA OBP SLG
Eaton vs current Braves 57 .281 .339 .456
Ramirez vs current Padres 21 .333 .417 .619
Not a lot of at-bats against Eaton. The only homer belongs to Chipper Jones (.500/.556/1.125 in just 8 AB). Even fewer at-bats against Ramirez. Homers from Burroughs and Hernandez.
So, are you starting to feel it yet? Maybe just a little bit?
They were channeling Lawrence’s sinker so they could get that 4-6-3.
How ’bout them Padres?
urgh…I shouldn’t be so irked in a game like this, in times like these, but gyaaaii…Eaton should have been able to cruise through this one CG-shutout style. He just doesn’t have it in him.
Are you not watching, Peter?
I just got home from class and it took a minute to read throught the entire discussion.
Hermey hit another one into the top of the Western Metal Supply Co. building? Nice…
.176 BABIP (excluding XBH) against Eaton today. That’s more than .060 below league average. Eaton’s been lucky of late.
So, Linebrink is pitching? I wonder why mlb.com has it as Lawrence…
no, following it on ‘net from work…
as for CG – the reason there were so many CG’s in decades past, was that hitters didn’t know they SHOULD force the action by taking walks. Furthermore, hitters didn’t hit a lot of HR so pitchers didn’t have to pitch as carefully. They didn’t keep track of pitch counts but studies have been done that showed that even back then they PROBABLY pitched roughly 100-10 pitches to get those CGs…
Now MLB has Eaton back in the game…
yeah… lol
That walk by Reyes was the first of the game from our pitchers.
Not a good play by Blum. You have to get the lead guy there.
And that’s why you get the lead runner.
Peter, I know CG’s are rare nowadays, ‘sswhy I said “CG-style.” I’d at least like to see from him every now and then a “dominant start” (under your criteria), which he should with his stuff, but he never does.
gotcha – i was afraid I was going to hear a Randy Jones “…pitchers these days…” tirade…
Will we see Trevor here in the ninth?
Hoffman is up.
Tying run is on deck. It’s a save situation.
A four-pitch walk? That’s unacceptable.
That was just a crap appearance by Reyes.
There’s the bells.
Reyes
0.3 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 2 BB
Reyes has really been crappy all year, though his ERA has failed to capture it.
Let’s see a double play ball.
Reyes (prior to today):
4.08 NRA, 3.85 DERA, -6 STF
Two outs (Death and taxes)
Three outs (Hoffman).
Padres win! 16 of 19, 7 consecutive wins. 8-4 Padres.
Started to get nervous there at the end. Nice win, though. If the Fish can hold on, a chance to widen the lead against LA. I think Arizona will fade; like to see LA lose.
That’s the Padres’ fourth series sweep this season and third this month.
That’s the first sweep of the Braves for the Padres since 1991. Hoffman saves his 13th in 15 chances. His ERA is down to 2.75. The Dodgers are losing to the Marlins.
The Padres had three series sweeps in the first half last season and seven overall.
What a run, and it continues.
I wonder where Hoffy is on the pitches-per-save rankings.
Anyone here remember me sying about a week ago that the Padres were rolling, and I expected it to continue? Anyone???
You see, this is all because of ME!!!
During the 7-game win streak, the Padres have outscored opponents 40-18. That’s only one game over the Pythagorean projection (6-1).
Lance, I don’t remember. I get the feeling you’re making it up.
Florida has added on in the ninth.
Richard, I KNOW you remember, and I KNOW that you’re well-versed enough in baseball to be aware that all the credit for this streak goes to me. I’m mounting a campaign for ME as NL MVP!
Lance, I remember. You da man.
after another productive day, Giles is up to .284/.416/.504. Is it possible that at age 34 we have the elite top-5 hitter we thought we had back in 2003?
It’s possible. If he hits .300/.400/.500, which he used to reguarly, in a pitcher’s park, that would be awesome.
You’re right, Lance. I do remember and if I had an MVP vote, you’d get it.
Kev, isn’t .284/.416/.504 more impressive than .300/.400/.500? It is.
With Bonds out, you’d think I’d be the favorite.
Yes, it is. But I was just saying if he hit those three milestones, that would be a very nice season. But sure, I’ll take the on-base and slugging over the average.
Late, but I’ll post it anyway (if anyone has already posted this I apologize).
Arizona’s record cannot be thought of as much of a fluke as of yet. It’s too early for much to be thought of the difference in their Pythagorean record and actual record. The bulk of the run differential is, I believe, locked up in about 3 blowout losses the D-Backs suffered, while they have yet to earn a blowout victory. So the run differential is a bit skewed at this point.
Also, at this early point in the season, it’s a bit much to call the D-Backs “lucky”. I believe they sport a good “close and tight” record as well as the Padres, so one can think of that what one will.