Padres Game Recap – Apr. 26, 2015

He’s called the “Number five” starter in this Padres rotation, but that title doesn’t begin to do justice to what Brandon Morrow brings to the mound with him every fifth day. He showed again today why he’s one of the top two or three #5 starters in all of MLB by shutting down the Dodgers today leading the way for a 3-1 Pads victory.

He finally got the credit for his first “W” as a Padre, but it’s the third time in four starts that he has gone 7 innings and allowed 2 runs or less.  Honestly he’s not just one of the best #5 starters in MLB, but would likely be at least the #3 man in any of the other rotations in the N.L. West, and possibly higher.  Today was his sharpest effort yet, placing his 94-97 MPH fastball to both sides of the plate effectively, and complimenting it with a back door curveball and occasional split finger to the lefties, and his always tough slider to both lefties and righties.  It was the fastball command that really kept him the drivers seat all day, and even on the occasions when he did fall behind in the count he knew he could place a rhythm to the outside fastball on that outer corner whenever he needed to giving himself some breathing room to regain control of the situation.

As he mowed down Dodgers he was waiting for some run support and it arrived in the third when Amarista put together one of the best at bats of the season.  Leading off the third he put together a lengthy at bat, fouling off pitch after pitch away.  Fastballs, and back door curveballs, one after another fouled by Ninja to stay alive. Finally on the 10th pitch they decided that it was time to sneak a fastball by him, but Alexi was not caught off guard in the least and turned on that piece of cheese putting it into the left field seats. Tough, tough at bat, and he came out victorious.  He now has a .350 OBP in the that 8th spot.

The second run of the afternoon came thanks to a Kemp walk to start the 4th.  He then stole second, and scored on Norris’s 2-out RBI 2B to center.  Later, Norris in the 7th chimed in again, this time with his first HR as a Padre to spread the lead 7-3.  He’s been clutch at the plate all year, and his defense has been more than fine with him notching is 8th caught stealing of the season.

Buddy then handed the 3-1 lead and the ball over to Benoit for the 8th and Kimbrel for the 9th and it was Katy bar the door for the win.

It was a good, sharp victory for the boys today and a nice way to salvage the final game of the set with their NL West rivals in front of over 43,000 fans on Salute to the Marines day.   With the W they are now 1 game back of L.A. in the standings.

The Astros are coming into town next. Under leadership of former Padres assistant GM, A.J. Hinch the ‘Stros are surprising some people by leading the A.L. West with the third best record in the A.L.  James Shields will toe the slab for the Pads with first pitch scheduled for 7:10.  Ted Leitner and myself look forward to you joining us for all the action on the Mighty 1090.