first pitch: 1:05 p.m., PT
television: Channel 4
matchup: Brian Lawrence (3-6, 4.78 ERA) vs Freddy Garcia (6-3, 3.51 ERA)
Great comeback win Saturday night against the White Sox. Rookie Tim Stauffer allowed a first inning run but otherwise matched Mark Buehrle pitch for pitch. But with one out in the bottom of the ninth, and with Jeff Brantley’s favorite closer on the hill, Ramon Hernandez launched a solo homer into the left field seats to tie the game, 1-1. Four batters later, Damian Jackson punched a grounder past the drawn-in infield to plate Sean Burroughs with the winning run.
Stauffer threw strikes early and often, showing excellent command of the breaking ball and working smart sequences. He was efficient, throwing just 92 pitches (65 for strikes) in seven innings.
The Padres look to take the series in a Sunday afternoon affair that marks the end of their longest homestand of the year. The breakdown:
AB BA OBP SLG
Lawrence vs current White Sox 62 .306 .368 .468
Garcia vs current Padres 84 .286 .362 .357
Juan Uribe (.375/.400/.667 in 24 AB) has faced Lawrence the most, and done the most damage. For the Padres, Robert Fick (.455/.500/.455 in 11 AB) and Ramon Hernandez (.368/.368/.474 in 19 AB) have had the most success against Garcia. Phil Nevin (.071/.188/.071 in 14 AB) hasn’t done much. Given Nevin’s recent general lack of production, today might be a good time to give Fick the start at first base.
Yep, it’s Seanez.
Fick is hitting .393. This is going to come down to the last day of the season.
Former MVP Frank Thomas is on deck.
How do you walk Uribe?
How do you walk Uribe?
Good call, Bruce.
Get Hammond ready.
Grab some bench, Big Hurt.
Hell of an interesting call there. Maybe he’s holding that grudge I was hoping for.
I’m with Kevin, get Hammond up.
Ditto Richard.
What a sequence to Thomas (even if that last pitch may not have been a strike).
Need to keep Podsednik off the bases.
I’d like to see Seanez K Podsednik so we don’t have to deal with him running the basepaths.
Full count. Can’t walk this guy…
LA is beating the Twins…
2 outs, now.
Podsednik hitting the ball in the air is a good thing for us. Two down.
Nice job by Seanez.
8 pitches to retire Podsednik…
My tribute to Harry Carey: Good catch by Bryan Kelso.
Hammond is heating up. Watch the bunt from Harris.
Uribe had a huge jump.
Rudy is SLOW to the plate.
Let Uribe have his fun. Just retire this guy.
And now we know why Harris bunts so often.
That pitch wasn’t fair.
Willie was overmatched there.
Grab some bench, Harris.
Heck of a series we got here.
Yep, great series. Even the first game was close and could’ve gone either way.
It has been a good series. I am pleased with the way the Padres have played, especially coming off the lethargic series against the Cubs and Indians.
May and Linebrink are up. I hope May is just getting some exercise.
Klesko draws the seven pitch walk. Nice PA.
Maybe it really was just the virus?
Kev, I assume May is up in case we add on.
Giles has had a strange day. That was a three-pitch at-bat, and that was his high for the day, I think.
As far as the virus, we will find out in Detroit. We really should take that series if not sweep it with Peavy Eaton and Woody.
Peavy, Eaton, and Woody are a legit top of the rotation.
I wish the Sox would stop using their bullpen up. We need them to win about nine in a row after this. Nevin got ROBBED.
I think the whole rotation has been good their last times out, right?
Peavy was the only rough outing.
Vizcaino was hilarious in Blue Streak.
Why do we need the Sox to win?
I’ve been real impressed with Woody in his 2 post-DL starts.
Six in a row, not nine. They have three with the D’Backs and Dodgers up next.
I see. They play the D-backs and Dodgers.
Linebrink stands to lower his ERA back below 2.00 today.
Damnit.
Everett has killed us. We need a DP from Burroughs now.
Hey. Konerko really may have been out last night. I figured there was no way.