A bit less of an anticlimactic finish and a game much lighter on the theatrics for today's evening rubbermatch.
Most of the dust has settled after the controversial play at the plate last night in the first game of a four game series against the St. Louis Cardinals. Bobby Davidson was rotated over to third base, so home plate was cleared for responsible adults. Though tonight the Padres seemed a little deflated in an attempt to take the game back and avenge our Ninja, and some moves had to be made.
Updated #Padres notes: Solarte improving, Peterson recalled and Cashner a step closer to return. http://t.co/PKUPACPCQr
— U-T Padres (@UTPadres) August 15, 2014Tyson Ross took the mound, but only for a short while before the Birdies could get to him. Three straight walks loaded the bases for Matt Adams to dink fellow Matt of the Carpenter trade in to start things 1-0. Jhonny Peralta also took advantage of the bases loaded situation in the form of a fielders choice, keeping the game at 2-0 for a while. Somehow (we know how, it's Tyson freakin' Ross) he got out of the jam only giving up two.
A HBP and another walk in the 4th gave Kolton Wong the opportunity for an RBI to make things 3-0, but the following inning the Padres would jab back with a Will Venable RBI-double blast to right center. Things would stay at 3-1 until the 8th when St. Louis went ahead and tacked on another insurance run to stick things at 4-1. With a hit on the night, and representing the only Friar run at the time, Jace Peterson pulled a little third base magic for his first night back in the bigs.
Jace fills the corner in pretty well, flipping a bird in the process.
Another top of the ninth narrative for the Padres, with two outs Buddy threw Yasmani Grandal in to pinch hit against the righty Pat Neshek. Leaving a sinker in the wrong place, Yasmani took Neshek Yard-mani, making things interesting on a 4-2 scenario.
Yaz manages to look unreasonably bored after smashing a last-ditch HR in the 9th.
Working a full count, Chris Nelson blasted a seventh-pitch double against the left field wall. Birds don't have sweat glands, but if they did they'd be working about now. With a RISP at second, Will Venable came to bat. Swinging at the first two pitches with good hacks, but fouling.
He took a way-outside changeup, not to be fooled. Neshek dealt the same exact pitch in an even worse spot, and Wenable gave probably one of the ugliest swings to end the night and dash our hopes. Venable's contact when swinging at pitches outside the strikezone is almost 30% less than those inside. Surprising? Not at all.
Our WPA throughout the game was understandably abysmal.
Really only dipping down off the Venable dubble.
Source: FanGraphs
Tyson Ross was still hot as heck tonight despite the loss. Sticking to his high-average, Ross went 6 innings only giving up 3 earned runs. The four walks are what stung, the most in a game since the last time he threw against St. Louis giving up 5. Still, a quality start. His 11th in a row not giving up more than 3 runs.
Tomorrow Jesse Hahn will give the Padres a chance to prevent the series loss and give the Cardinals a chance to experience an ended winning streak. He'll be throwing against Shelby Miller, who got lit up against Miami 4 days ago.
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Today was a lazy Friday for tonight, in that THERE WERE NO RECS. Not a single one! None. Nada. Honestly I thought FRIAR FEVER with his perfectly context'd wrestling gif was deserving, but I didn't want to patronize him so I didn't rec him. Either way, what the heck guys?