Amarista celebrates his birthday with a 3-run blast to give the Pads a travel day victory.
It didn’t start so smooth, but the 3 game set with the marlins sure did end with a bang! The Padres dropped game one 8-2, game two 5-0, then rebounded to come from behind and take game three 4-2. So what were some of the ebbs and flows of this match up in Miami?
Coming into the series the logic was that game one would be the most likely one in which to score some runs and give Stults some support, as the other two games featured a couple of flame throwers that might be tough to score upon. Things didn’t turn out as planned. For the third game in a row the the Pads found themselves trailing after the first. Stults allowed 2 to cross in inning one, then 3 more in the third. Not what you expect when facing a team that ranked dead last in the league in runs scored last year. That kind of a lead takes the pressure off any pitcher, even a #5 starter. All Koehler had to do at that point was throw strikes, and not beat himself, and he basically followed that formula. The Pads had a chance to get back into it in the 5th but they couldn’t get the big hit when they needed it. The bullpen then let it get out of reach, and the chance to secure a W in the series opener was gone.
Game two was the most anticipated of the set because of the two studs going to the mound. Cashner for the Pads, and for the Fish the young phenom, Fernandez, who won last year’s ROY award. The match up was not a let down. Both fireballers were sharp from the start, with both logging 4 strikeouts each through the first two innings. Each ran into a challenge in the 3rd, with Fernandez escaping a bases loaded jam he created thanks to an inning ending double play. Cash wasn’t as fortunate allowing a 2-out single by Stanton that caromed off the glove of a lunging Headley for the game’s first run. Both hurlers kept it 1-0 until Cash allowed another 2-out run to cross in the 6th…and that was it. For the second night in a row the bullpen couldn’t hold the Marlins in check, and the Pads couldn’t score. 2-0 Marlins in the series, and another tough opponent on the hill for game three.
The Padres batters knew they would see 98 MPH fastballs from the starter Eovaldi in the series finale, but they did not know he would mix in curve balls, sliders, and change ups in as well like he never had before. He allowed a few hits early on using his weaker secondary pitches, but not in situations that threatened a run to score. He held the Pads scoreless through the first 6, with more still in the tank due to his new less draining pitch selection. Likewise, the Pads starter, Kennedy, brought a little something different to the table and did so quite effectively. He used his curveball and slider more than we have ever seen, and located his fastball as good as ever since putting on a Padres uniform, allowing only 1 run to cross through 6. With the Pads trailing 1-0, the stage was set for Amarista, who celebrating his birthday, was waiting on the bench for Buddy’s call to action. It came in the 7th as a pinch hitter with 2 runners on, 2 outs, and Eovaldi just starting to show some vulnerability. Little Ninja quickly found himself behind 0-2, but then put together a tremendous battle fouling off four tough pitches, and forcing Eovaldi to throw 9 pitches before finally leaving a slider on the inner half that the Ninja turned on and drove over the right filed wall for a 3-run game changing home run. It was a fantastic at bat, and just the jolt the Friars needed to escape being swept. Alonso added on a welcomed insurance run in the 8th, and the bullpen took over with Torres, Thayer, Benoit, and Street holding off the hot playing Fish for the final three innings. Ballgame…Happy Flight!
While the series as a whole did not go as well as hoped, taking the final game the way they did was an important and uplifting victory for the boys as they head into Cleveland. While there have been some good individual performances scattered throughout the first two series of the season, the team had not yet clicked on all cylinders as a unit, but there were signs of that today. They got 6 solid innings from the starter, the offense finally came up with the big hit that they needed and added on an insurance run to boot, and the bullpen closed it up. Let’s hope that jump starts the ball club, especially the offense which has struggled in the early going.
Match ups for the next three games against the Indians are as follows:
- Game 1 (4:05 p.m.) – Erlin vs. Kluber
- Game 2 (4:05 p.m.) – Ross vs. McAllister
- Game 3 (9:05 a.m.) – Stults vs. Salazar
There are weather concerns with Monday’s game, as rain is in the forecast. Hopefully all three games get played, and the Pads can finish the road trip with a solid series, and a winning trip.
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