first pitch: 1:05 p.m., PT
television: Channel 4
matchup: Brian Lawrence (2-4, 5.09 ERA) vs A.J. Burnett (3-3, 2.70 ERA)
previews: ESPN | CBS | SI | Padres.com
For the second straight game, the Pads got seven innings out of their starter on just 99 pitches. Saturday night was vintage Jake Peavy. Of those 99 pitches, 74 were strikes. The only hard hit ball all night came off the bat of Carlos Delgado, who ripped a 1-2 fastball into the left-center field gap to start the sixth and came around to score the only run Peavy would surrender. All you need to know about Peavy’s night: in the third inning he retired the side in order on seven pitches, all strikes. Trevor Hoffman closed out the victory in the ninth, throwing four pitches to retire three Marlins to end the game.
Now just a half game back of the NL West leading Dodgers, the Pads go for the sweep this afternoon.
AB BA OBP SLG
Lawrence vs current Marlins 155 .284 .313 .406
Burnett vs current Padres 60 .233 .373 .450
Against Lawrence, Juan Encarnacion (.474/.524/.789 in 19 AB) and Mike Lowell (.385/.385/.692 in 13 AB) are getting it done. Lowell has one of three homers against Lawrence; the other two are by Juan Pierre (.321/.321/.464 in 28 AB) and Paul LoDuca (.250/.291/.346 in 52 AB). As we’ve mentioned before, Lawrence also has some of the most extreme home/road splits of any Padres pitcher. At Petco, opponents are hitting just .181/.227/.229 in 83 at-bats. Oddly, Lawrence actually pitched better on the road (3.86 ERA) in 2004 than he did at home (4.42). One other split that has reversed itself from last year is the left/right split:
2004 2005
LHB .301/.356/.486 .238/.287/.363
RHB .272/.306/.432 .316/.389/.481
Theories? The absence of Larry Walker (.417/.576/.708 in 24 AB) and Barry Bonds (.476/.645/1.000 in 21 AB) in the NL West this year can’t hurt. Then again, could just be small sample.
For the Pads, Phil Nevin (.444/.500/1.222 in 9 AB) is doing the most damage against Burnett. Nevin has two of the three homers, with Damian Jackson accounting for the other. Jackson was a part of the lineup that Burnett threw the no-hitter against at the Q in May 2001. Jackson was hit by a pitch in that game that broke his right thumb and put him on the shelf for over a month.
Wow. When you’re on a roll, the ball falls in.
That Ramon blooper makes up for Conine’s broken bat number in the sixth, and maybe even Delgado’s “hit.” Luck evening up now.
And Burroughs gets the bunt down. Man, this is fun!
A nice bunt by Sean even!
Why SH when you’ve scored six without recording an out?
Why did Giles stop running?
And I think he was safe.
Bottom of 7th (so far) …
- K. Greene singled to right
- M. Sweeney hit for R. Seanez
- M. Sweeney walked, K. Greene to second
- D. Roberts reached on fielder’s choice, K. Greene to third, M. Sweeney to second on first baseman C. Delgado’s throwing error
- M. Loretta walked, K. Greene scored, M. Sweeney to third, D. Roberts to second
- M. Perisho relieved A.J. Burnett
- R. Klesko walked, M. Sweeney scored, D. Roberts to third, M. Loretta to second
- J. Mecir relieved M. Perisho
- P. Nevin singled to second, D. Roberts scored, M. Loretta to third, R. Klesko to second
- B. Giles singled to right center, M. Loretta and R. Klesko scored, P. Nevin to third
- R. Hernandez singled to right, P. Nevin scored, B. Giles to second
- S. Burroughs sacrificed to pitcher, B. Giles to third, R. Hernandez to second
Question: Burroughs sacrificed to pitcher??? HUH?
But why didn’e he slide?
I think Giles was safe.
Maybe a slide would have slowed him down once he had to start running again?
Richard: Bunt to avoid the DP.
Replay was inconclusive on Giles at the plate. He probably should’ve slid.
I mean start running, not reach full speed and then get down and slide all in 15-20 feet? Maybe a headfirst dive would have worked.
As for why Giles stopped running, I think he was assuming a good throw and was just trying to get into a rundown to maybe advance the other runners.
That’s an interesting possibility, Bruce. Maybe that’s why.
Fair enough, Geoff. I’d rather take my chances, though. SH are momentum-killers.
Sweeney has been great this year, apart from that one start in SF.
Sweeney has now walked and singled as a pinch hitter in this game.
Good call, Geoff. Assuming a good throw (and why wouldn’t you?), it was probably the right move.
Nice AB by Sweeney. That’s two hits, now.
I agree with Geoff with that is why Giles stopped originally. Now that I have thought about it, he should have gone in head first. He still would have been carrying good forward momentum.
Damn, he did walk (as opposed to hitting safely).
You know things are going well when, Dave Roberts caps a ten run inning with a three-run jack!
Holy crap! Roberts three-run jack. 10-spot in the 7th. Sweet Lord. Oh, sweet Lord. This is unreal.
WOW! I don’t think they will another inning quite like this one all year! When even Dave Robert’s hitting 3 run shots, you are having a great day.
And the Dodgers are still losing 3-2 in the 8th. Too sweet.
I am feeling confident that May/Hammond can finish this one up
*Standing ovation on my part* The crowd sounds fantastic.
Why is Linebrink pitching?
Does he just need work or something?
Good question Richard. Didn’t he pitch the other day?
I mean the match-up favors a righty on the mound. But unless he needed the work, there is no reason to run him out there. I think Hammond could have taken care of Cabrera, Conine, and Easley.
Game log says he hasn’t pitched since the 11th. So he needs the work apparently.
I would have run Falkenborg out there. He was warming up…
I think they wanted to get Linebrink some work. Maybe we’ll get to see Falkenborg in the ninth. One can only hope.
That makes sense, then. Linebrink faced the minimum.
X smoked that ball.
I still think at a minimum that Nady should be getting some starts when one of the 4-5 players manning positions he can play are struggling. With the way Nevin is swinging the bat, I was hoping to see Nady get a start at first. But as someone said earlier, I still like it that Bochy has run out the “opening day” lineup three days in a row.
This is just beautiful stuff. Everyone is contributing. Seanez will become the 8th different Padre to pick up a win in May. 8 different winners out of 11 wins.
14 different players have RBI’s this month and 9 different players have home runs(and that is 0 HR from Nady and Loretta and 0 RBI from X).
Friars haven’t allowed an earned run at Petco since April 10th.
Padres, as of the 11-4 score, are outscoring their opponents 76-39 from the 7th inning on. Its so much fun to see this team rolling after staggering out of the gate.
This game today should make up for that skunker in St. Louis a week ago as well as helping our Pythagorean record.
A little typo there. With the next run its actually 80-39. My bad.
Oh yeah, Brian Giles had his first RBI at Petco since Sept 30, 2004 today.
With a nod toward Kevin.
One out (death).
Two outs (taxes).
Three outs (Hammond). Sorry couldn’t help myself. But I love watching Hammond’s change-up almost as much as Hoffy’s parachute.
That was fun. Great start to the homestand. Never thought they could sweep this team with having to face both Beckett and Burnett.
And the Braves beat LA, 5-2. Ladies and gentlemen, your first place Padres.
Geoff, you’re forgetting the Snakes.
Another key to the game perhaps. No Padre walks issued to the other team.
Aw, shoot. I am forgetting the Snakes. Ladies and gentlemen, your second place Padres. Hey, at least we’re ahead of the Dodgers.
Earlier this week I wrote that the east coast media was discounting our Padres. ESPN ranked us #15 behind Washington, Arizona, Texas, New York (AL), and New York (NL)… I wonder where they put us now? Those teams are now 5-5, 5-5, 7-3, 7-3, and 6-4 respectively in their last ten. The Padres are 9-1 over that span.
Love the in-game commentary Geoff (et al). I gotta get over here during some games! If you haven’t already check out the MVN site. Keep up the GREAT work Geoff!
I watched the 10-run seventh from work. That was some surreal stuff. Very cool. I enjoyed coming back and reading the commentary too. As for death, taxes, Hammond, I guess he pretty darn automatic when he pitches.