first pitch: 4:05 p.m., PT
television: Channel 4SD
matchup: Jake Peavy (1-1, 7.36 ERA) vs John Smoltz (0-1, 6.75 ERA)
previews: Padres.com | SI.com | ESPN.com

Tough loss Friday. The Padres had plenty of opportunities to win the game and they let it slip away. You really have to score at least one run when there are two on and one out against a guy like Chris Reitsma, who isn’t a bad pitcher but who also isn’t someone who strikes a lot of fear into opponents’ hearts. He’s beatable. Unfortunately, Dave Roberts and Terrmel Sledge didn’t have real good at-bats at the end and the Padres couldn’t pull it out, giving the Braves their fifth win (and reliever Oscar Villarreal his fourth win) in 11 games.

On Saturday, Padres ace Jake Peavy looks to rebound from one of his worst starts as a big-leaguer in a showdown against Atlanta’s John Smoltz. Last Sunday against the Rockies, Peavy coughed up eight runs, marking the third time in his career that he had allowed eight or more in a game, and the first since August 18, 2002, at Montreal. The good news is, Peavy has come back strong after both previous implosions:

Padres starters enter Saturday’s contest with a whopping 8.06 ERA. If you’re looking for some perspective, a nine-inning shutout from Peavy would bring that all the way down to 6.71. On the bright side, one National League team’s starters have a higher ERA (8.17) and that is the Braves, who also are the only team in the league without a victory from its starting pitchers. Eleven games isn’t much to go on, but it sure looks like they’re missing pitching coach Leo Mazzone. Here’s hoping the Padres can take advantage and even up the series at Turner Field today.