first pitch: 6:40 p.m., PT
television: Channel 4SD
matchup: Chan Ho Park (2-1, 3.57 ERA) vs Brandon Webb (6-0, 2.30 ERA)
previews: Padres.com | SI.com | ESPN
Padres head to Arizona having won 14 of their last 15 games. They find themselves in sole possession of first place in the NL West and they have the best road record (12-4) in the big leagues, so there is plenty of cause for optimism.
There is also the Snakes’ Brandon Webb, who has been the antidote for optimism among opposing batters so far this year. The scary thing about Webb is that, although he’s always been tough to hit, this season he’s being much more efficient. The walks are down, the pitch counts are down, and he’s working deeper into games, which means no break from that turbo sinker in the late innings. Like the Padres’ Jake Peavy, Webb has become the guy you hate to face.
On the flip side, Chan Ho Park has spun 15 shutout innings to start the month of May. Taking full advantage of his defense, Park has been surprisingly effective in the early going. He looks to continue that trend Monday night in Phoenix.
Josh Bard hitting cleanup, another reason to walk Brian Giles.
And Bard promptly gets the first hit of the game.
Yuck. Error by Barfield opens the flood gates. Did we slip back into April while I wasn’t looking?
No. Chan Ho Park’s kryptonite (for now) resides at Chase Field.
add to that also that Johnny Estrada is the hitter you don’t want to beat you ..
though the Arizona broadcast trivia question is really hard: Name a Padre.
wow Josh Bard. .. you really prove my smart comment wrong with that big fly.
Beautiful job by Gonzalez to go down and knock that pitch out to left. I know he’s been struggling, but I still love his approach at the plate.
Hmmn. Just as I was grumbling to myself about how “The Catcher must bat 4th” was reminiscent of the “Second baseman must bat leadoff” mantra of the eighties, Bard goes deep.
There were some folks who thought Bard was the better prospect between him and Victor Martinez. I think that’s silly, but interesting nonetheless.
Some real good at-bats against Webb tonight.
There’s my Vinny. Did Mirabelli pour lead in his bat as a final prank?
That’s six hits and four RBI from Bard and Park if you’re counting.
I was at Chan Ho’s start against the Cubs in San Diego. Told my buddy he was a decent athlete, could hit a bit. Chan Ho heaved his bat into the stands in his first at-bat.
Now his base knock picks up Mr. RBI Castilla and Barfield.
Pads into the pen. Even though we’d hit Webb pretty well tonight, I’d just soon face the bullpen.
Chan Ho wasn’t pitching great, but you can’t take his bat out of the lineup.
That is some terrible officiating. First off, Bard caught the ball cleanly; second, the plate umpire called the batter out. Ridiculous. I hope someone sends a tape to the league office.
Heh. I guess someone didn’t want a tape sent to the league office. Plate umpire just ruled interference on Chad Tracy for an inning-ending strike ‘em out – throw ‘em out double play. It’s all good.
The balance is restored to the universe by the interference by Tracy. Not only was the call bad, but it was compounded when Bard looked back and saw the out sign. Then, when he turns away from the umpire, the safe sign is given. To Bard’s thinking, there was no reason to throw it down.
dang scott has given up too many homers this year. whats going on?
“Chan Ho wasn’t pitching great, but you can’t take his bat out of the lineup.”
Yet another great reason to read Ducksnorts. I don’t care who you are, that’s funny right there.
too bad. this game was winnable but it’s alright. Barfield misplayed a few balls but this is his first time taking ground balls in Chase Field if that’s what they call it now. The one error cost two unearned runs and he misplayed the hop on the grounder for the winning hit so it’s okay.
Tomorrow’s another game and Peavy-El Duque should be interesting.
I hate to see us lose in this fashion. Much the same as winning streaks can be started with the exhilaration of winning a game you looked like you were going to lose, Losing a game you should have won by kicking it away can start a series of bad things happening. Sure hope this aint one of those times.
This really stung. I had a bad feeling the whole game, mostly due to someone at my place seeing the score at some point in the game (I wasn’t sure at what point) and saying “Uh-oh Jay” (I had it on Tivo; I hate that).
I did not know the pitch count of CHP going into the 8th, but I do now (102). If it was under 100, I leave him in; at 102, hard to say. But Linebrink is not the Linebrink of old; lots of 8th inning bombs this year, not good. I hope this is the end of the formulaic Linebrink = 8th, no matter what.
I hope people tried to calm Barfield down after his early miscues. His missed DP in the 2nd, missed the other DP in the 3rd, arguably giving the Dbacks 4 runs. He looked off in his AB’s, my guess still chewing on the defense. Maybe they said all the right things and he could not shake it, maybe not. It was a tough play on Green’s shot; my guess, in a different game where he has not made errors, he makes that play 80% of the time.
A couple gripes on Vinny’s positioning. On both of Byrnes doubles, and both times he scored, he seemed out of position. The first time, he was way off the line against a rightie; I don’t get that. In the 10th, he was in defending the bunt, but Byrnes doesn’t bunt much, so seems stupid and sure enough the ball bounces over his head. If he is position normally, an out, and we probably go to the 11th. I recall Geoff griping about his positioning another time as well. This seems like a basic thing you cover.
Heroic game by CHP; let’s hope they can re-group tomorrow behind Peavy.