first pitch: 7:05 p.m., PT
television: Channel 4SD
matchup: Jake Peavy (3-4, 3.77 ERA) vs John Smoltz (3-2, 3.47 ERA)
previews: Padres.com | ESPN
The battle of the best hitting catchers in baseball begins tonight at Petco Park, as the Braves come to town for a three game set. Atlanta’s top backstop, Brian McCann, is listed as day-to-day due to a sprained left ankle. If he is unable to go, Hilltop High’s Todd Pratt will get the call.
Heckuva pitching matchup in the opener, with Jake Peavy going up against John Smoltz. Now would be a good time for the Padres to snap out of their current funk. At home, with Peavy on the mound? Can’t think of a better way to do it.
36 Comments
Hello, everyone. Need a win tonight.
Peavy got through the first inning with 15 pitches, 11 for strikes. Two punchouts. He’s got the good stuff going.
Does Ch4 use your stats on the padre catchers or was that all coincidence?
So much for the good stuff…
Langerhans? Ugh.
Ry: Probably coincidence.
Peavy has faced seven batters. He’s fanned four of ‘em, given up two weak grounders, and served up the Langerhans homer. I just hope we can get some runs off Smoltz.
How long do we stick with Gonzalez? Intellectually it makes sense to give him 500 major league at-bats, and his swing looks so nice, but in terms of winning a 670 OPS from first base won’t get it done. McAnulty must be wondering who he has to sleep with to get a start.
Hey look, Castilla had himself a quality at-bat!
What is going on with Peavy? Yet again on pace to throw 100+ pitches in 6 innings.
TW: Great question about P-Mac. I’m not ready to give up on Gonzo but I wouldn’t mind seeing P-Mac out there every once in a while.
Peavy’s stuff is nasty tonight. Too bad about that one pitch. Hopefully, we’ll get some runs so Jake can forget about that one and make this start worthwhile. Piazza’s double is a start.
Khalil works the count to 3-1, Smoltz hangs him a breaking ball and it’s a weak popup to third. Ack.
He’s just not in a groove yet. I really do think when Khalil gets on a hot streak (whenever that may be) he’s really going to start punishing pitchers
Peavy is dealing some filth. The changeup to Pratt and sinker to Smoltz this inning were ridiculous. He’s at 11 strikeouts through 5 innings.
Anyone happen to know what the count was on Langerhans’ homer?
0-1..
Cant expect Jake to pitch a shut out every time. we have to get him so runs..
Peavy has got everything working. Thirteen strikeouts, six weak grounders, and a home run. This is as well as I’ve ever seen him pitch.
He’s tied a franchise record with 15 punchouts. I’ll be watching this one again on TiVo after it’s over.
This is unreal. Jake just struck out the side and has 16 through 7 innings. The only ball hit out of the infield off him left the yard.
Make that a new franchise record at 16. Get us some runs offense!
Shameless self-promotion:
Running (well, almost running) commentary on the game:
http://sumitbhardwaj.blogspot.com/2006/05/peavy-smoltz-running-commentary.html
Earlier post on the matchup:
http://sumitbhardwaj.blogspot.com/2006/05/future-vs-legend-part-deux.html
Smoltz is out … get PH’d for in 8th inning … Padres have 6 more outs vs Braves’ pen … game on!
Jack Cust takes 3 walks … Ben Johnson 4 … as Portland rides Seth Etherton to a 7-2 win tonight … http://tinyurl.com/hjnhq
Both of the big Wiz’s go yard … DJones’ 7th, Blanks’ 4th … http://tinyurl.com/ezdl4 … Nick Hundley with 2 doubles … Venable with 2 hits raise his avg to .310 …
Seems like a repeat of Sat & Sun vs M’s … Camy & Giles don’t have good ABs late in game …
Wow, Piazza crushed that ball.
Yahoo says … M. Piazza homered to deep center
LM says … woulda been nice to have a man on base at the time … let’s go Khalil!
Damn, Gonzalez just missed it. Warning track in left-center.
Everyone keep their fingers crossed that we can scratch out a run so we don’t have to read in the paper tomorrow how long it’s been since someone K’ed 16 and LOST
Some between innings humor … while sitting next to Gary Reonicke at Safeco on Saturday night, he cracks me up … he called his son on his cell phone and says “Spicoli just hit a HR” … if you don’t know who Spicoli is, check this out: http://www.fu-manchu.com/morbidaj/spicoli.htm
Oops … C. Jones homered to deep left center … Embree’s our best pitcher for this situation? Eh, I s’pose …
D-backs win … Dogs & Giants both up 4-1 late … not a good day so far … 3 more out … RALLY CAPS TIME!
The idea was to have Chipper up there from the right side. That was his first homer as a righty this season.
Wow, Blum’s our best hitter to use in bottom of 9th? Eh, I s’pose …
G’night, all …
Blum is only our best hitter if we’ve used everyone but him and EY.
That realy sucks for Peavy. he made one bad pitch and hundreds of good ones.. sucks to be the loser..
But he should send a message to the offense to do something even though they faced a good John Smoltz.