Padres vs. Reds Series Recap 5-15-14

Ross fires 7 innings of 1 run ball to take nightcap, and the series with the Reds.

After coming of a nice 3 game winning streak to take the last series of he home stand from the Royals, the Friars started on the 7-day road against the Reds. There were high hopes with the bats starting to show life, and Quentin joining the club for the first time this year.  Here’s how it unfolded:

• GAME #1 – Cashner vs. Leake.  Two solid starters going at it, and it turned out to be a good old fashioned pitcher’s duel. Cashner allowed a run to score in the first, then settled in going 7 innings without is best stuff. Leake for his part didn’t allow a run until the 4th, and ended up going 8, before handing over the 1-1 tie to his bullpen.  Both teams had played a good game, and now it was up to the bullpens, and for the home team that meant going to their closer Chapman, who is one of the most intimidating pitchers in the game with his 100+ MPH fastball.  He struck out the first two Pads batters, then went after Headley. Chase got a good swing on the first inside fastball he saw, but was just a hair late. Two pitches later Chapman tried again to come inside, and this time Chsae caught up to it, giving it a ride down the left field line, and over the fence for his 4th HR of the season.  It was s stunning blow for Chapman, the Reds, and their fans as the ballpark went silent.  With the 2-1 lead Street was called in to slam the door shut on the victory, and that’s exactly what he did, retiring the Reds in order for his 12th save of the year, extending the Friar winning streak to 4 games. 1-0 Padres.

• GAME #2 – Kennedy vs. Cueto.  Entering the first game of a split double header thanks to the previous day’s rain out, the Reds starter arrived with an already historic start to the season, having pitched 7 innings or more and allowing 2 runs or less one act of his first 8 starts of the season – only 8 others had done that in MLB history dating bak to 1914.  He had allowed 5 hits or less in each one of those starts as well, already shattering the previous record of 5. In short, Cueto had started the season in as dominant a fashion as the game has ever seen…and he continued that torrid start against the Friars. Venable lead off bunt single took away any threat of a no-hitter, but Cueto’s dominance of the Friars was no less impressive as he went the distance for the 3rd time this season, firing his 2nd shutout of the year, allowing only 3 hits total and striking out 8. Kennedy matched zeroes through the first 4, but then Phillips got to him with 3-run HR in the 5th.  He allowed 2 more to cross in the 5th on a day where he did not appear to have his best off speed stuff of the season, but it was academic at that point as the game’s outcome was securely in the hands of Cueto who never opened the door a crack for the Padres to try to get back into it.  Fastball, cutters, change ups, sliders, all thrown to the corners at will and at any time…it was truly impressive.  The winning streak was snapped, and with 3 hours between games the Friars had ample time to regroup to take the rubber match with the series tied 1-1.

• GAME #3 – Ross vs. Francis.  After getting completely shut down by Cueto in game #1, the Pads were looking to bust out in game #2, and Francis was a worthy target. Ross came out of the gates a little shaky walking three in the first, and allowing a run to cross, but the Padres answered back quickly with 2 runs in the 2^nd thanks to Rene Rivera’s 2-run homerun to left. Headley’s RBI single in the third made it 3-1 Friars, and by then Ross was starting to find his groove not allowing a hit until the 5^th. Alonso’s RBI single in the 6^th made it 4-1, then the Friars went to the long ball with Cabrera going yard in the 7^th, and Alonso adding another solo shot in the 8^th to make it a comfortable 6-1 Pads lead, and final. Ross ended up going 7 innings, and Vincent and Quackenbush finished it up. Solid all around ball game, and a nice way to end a long day at the park with a 2-1 series win, and a Hoffy Happy Flight to Colorado.

Next stop Coors field where the Pads will face a hot Rockies ball club. Not to go unmentioned should be the solid job the starting rotation did throughout the series in the Natti with Cashner, Kennedy, and Ross all going fairly deep in the games to keep the bullpen fresh for three days of Mile High ball. The pitching match ups for the series are as follows:

• Game #1 (5:40 p.m. PDT) – Stults vs. De La Rosa
• Game #2 (5:10 p.m. PDT) – Erlin vs. Lyles
• Game #3 (1:10 p.m. PDT) – Cashner vs. Nicasio

The pitching continues to keep the Padres in every ball game, and hang on to leads late in the game (12-1 leading after the 6^th), the defense has been dependable, and the hitting is certainly starting to come around with contributions now coming from all parts of the lineup. The Pads have won 5 of their last 6, and have some nice momentum going in to Colorado to capture a winning road trip.

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