After stunning the rival Los Angeles Dodgers with a series win this week, the San Diego Padres returned home to face the Arizona Diamondbacks. They clinched on Thursday night, which might have had something to do with Friday night’s debacle of a game. Starter Casey Mize pitched four innings, surrendering seven runs (yes, you read that right). Mize’s ERA raised to 4.32 on the season after posting a 2.70 ERA before joining San Diego. He was placed on the 15-day IL ahead of today’s game.
Even still,
the offense didn’t do much to back him up. By the time Mize departed, the score was 7-2. The final score was 11-4. Four runs isn’t nothing, but it’s peanuts compared to 11. Most of those Arizona runs came via command issues. The Padres walked eight batters in, with Kyle Hart and Jason Adam loading the bases via five walks. San Diego needs just one win to clinch home-field advantage for the upcoming Wild Card series. They’ll need better performances tonight to do so.
Taking the mound
Ryne Nelson (AZ) v. Walker Buehler (SD)
Nelson is likely to fill out a bulk relief role for the Dbacks tonight, with a reliever serving as the opener ahead of him. He’s pitched decent this season with a 4.80 ERA and 1.24 WHIP in 86 1/3 innings. He was a starter for most of the year before transitioning to the bullpen in September.
The right-hander struggled in his last start against the Padres. Nelson surrendered six runs in five innings of work. He gave up two home as well. Still, it seems likely that Arizona uses him after he pitched in relief on Sunday versus the New York Yankees. Even though Nelson pitched last night, he only threw 12 pitches to record one out. His arm should still be fresh.
Buehler is coming off of a stellar performance against the Miami Marlins on Sunday. The veteran righty pitched into the seventh inning and had given up no runs in the first six. Unfortunately, Buehler surrendered a three-run shot to end his scoreless bid. That said, it was still a great performance from the Padres starter.
It seems likely that Buehler starts a potential Game 3 for San Diego. In a win-or-go-home spot, there’s not many pitchers who have shown they can be trusted more than him. He owns a 3.53 ERA in his last seven games and has surrendered three or fewer runs in every starts he’s made since July 21.
Batter up!
The strange thing about last night’s game is that San Diego’s offense has two more hits (10) than Arizona’s (8). Despite that, the Dbacks scored seven more runs than the Friars. Of the second-stringers put in, Sung-Mun Song had the most eventful night. Song went 2-for-2 and scored a run after replacing Jackson Merrill in the seventh inning.
- Fernando Tatis Jr., RF
- Dustin Harris, LF
- Manny Machado, 3B
- Ty France, 1B
- Jackson Merrill, CF
- Xander Bogaerts, SS
- Luis Campusano, DH
- Jake Cronenworth, 2B
- Freddy Fermin, C
Machado fouled a pitch off himself quite painfully last night. It’s possible he could take an off day tonight in order to keep him fresh for the upcoming playoff series on Tuesday. Either way, Machado has seemed to be playing with an injured hand lately. He’s DH’d in three of the last seven games.
Relief corps
With Mize departing after four, San Diego got creative. David Morgan, Kyle Hart, Jason Adam and Wandy Peralta covered the final five frames for the Padres. They did so to varying degrees of success. Peralta threw two perfect innings, and Morgan pitched a scoreless fifth. Hart was on his way with two outs but walked three before allowing a three-run double. Adam struggled in his second appearance back from the IL, walking two and allowing a run.
The positive side is that it leaves the Friars with options for tonight. The Padres have Yuki Matsui, Mason Miller, Adrian Morejon and Bradgley Rodriguez available out of the ‘pen. All are high-leverage options. The best-case scenario for San Diego is to clinch home-field advantage tonight so that they can rest their top players ahead of Tuesday’s Game 1.
