Final
Pirates-Padres Preview
Aug 9, 2010 - 8:16 PMVideo
Pittsburgh (39-72) at San Diego (64-46), 10:05 p.m. EDT
The San Diego Padres failed to take advantage during a road trip last week against the two worst teams in the NL West. Facing the Pittsburgh Pirates, though, gives them a good opportunity to build some momentum before a big division showdown.
The Padres look to win their seventh straight against the NL-worst Pirates when the West leaders begin a three-game series Tuesday night at Petco Park.
After splitting four games last week in Los Angeles, the Padres (64-46) were in danger of being swept by last-place Arizona. However, Mat Latos pitched six scoreless innings in a 10-1 rout Sunday that helped San Diego keep its two-game lead over second-place San Francisco.
"We had a pretty rough series and we battled real well," Latos said. "It was really important to get this win right here."
While the Padres were held to seven runs in the four losses on their trip, they've had little problem scoring against the Pirates (39-72). San Diego has outscored Pittsburgh 37-15 during a six-game winning streak, and 20-8 while taking a three-game set from July 23-25.
The Padres cannot afford to look ahead to this weekend's series with the Giants that begins a 10-game road trip, and closer Heath Bell said no one is panicking.
"This is the time of he year where the older guys show the younger guys that this is no time to panic," he told the Padres' official website.
Wade LeBlanc (5-10, 3.61 ERA) gets the start for San Diego in Tuesday's opener, and he could benefit from some greater offensive output. The Padres have scored two runs during his last two starts, and have provided him with two or fewer runs in six of his last seven outings.
LeBlanc is 1-6 with a 4.23 ERA in his last nine starts with the victory coming over the Pirates last month. The left-hander gave up four runs and eight hits over 6 1-3 innings Wednesday in a 9-0 loss to the Dodgers.
"They had only a few hits off him where they really hit the ball hard. Every other hit was like a bloop single," catcher Yorvit Torrealba said.
Pittsburgh, which opens a six-game swing, has dropped 28 of its last 32 on the road including a 17-game slide from May 26-June 27, a six-game losing streak going into the All-Star break and a current four-game losing streak.
The Pirates settled for a split of a four-game set with Colorado after an 8-4 loss Sunday. Paul Maholm lasted only 2 2-3 innings, and gave up eight runs for the second time in three starts.
"It seemed like every time I threw a good pitch, they'd foul it off," Maholm said. "And then I'd make a mistake and leave one over the middle."
Pirates pitchers are near the bottom of the majors with a 5.08 ERA, and Jeff Karstens (2-7, 4.47) will go out in search of his first win since June 19.
Since beating Cleveland, the right-hander and San Diego native is 0-5 with a 4.17 ERA in eight starts. Karstens gave up three runs and nine hits in five innings of a 9-4 loss to Cincinnati on Wednesday.
Karstens is 0-2 with a 7.56 ERA in three career appearances including one start versus the Padres.
- Padres 4, Pirates 1 - FINAL
PITTSBURGH ab r h rbi bb so lob avg
A McCutchen cf 4 0 0 0 0 0 1 .283
J Tabata lf 4 1 2 0 0 1 0 .310
N Walker 2b 3 0 0 0 1 3 1 .300
P Alvarez 3b 3 0 1 1 1 1 0 .241
L Milledge rf 4 0 1 0 0 2 2 .273
A LaRoche 1b 4 0 1 0 0 1 1 .223
C Snyder
Aug 11 12:40 AM - NL
AT SAN DIEGO - SCORING UPDATE
SINGLE BY JERRY HAIRSTON JR. SCORED CHRIS DENORFIA
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, J HAIRSTON JR. ON FIRST, 1 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: PITTSBURGH 1
SAN DIEGO 4 BOTTOM,8TH
DUE UP FOR SAN DIEGO: M TEJADA (.225, 0-FOR-3)
Pirates 1, Padres 4 Bot 8, 0 OutsAug 11 12:27 AM - NL
AT SAN DIEGO - SCORING UPDATE
SOLO HOME RUN BY RYAN LUDWICK (13) TO CENTER WITH 0 OUT IN
THE 7TH OFF WIL LEDEZMA.
CURRENT SCORE: PITTSBURGH 1, SAN DIEGO 3
DUE UP FOR SAN DIEGO: C HEADLEY (.276, 0-FOR-2)
Pirates 1, Padres 3 Bot 7, 0 OutsAug 11 12:05 AM - NL
AT SAN DIEGO - SCORING UPDATE
SINGLE BY PEDRO ALVAREZ SCORED JOSE TABATA
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, P ALVAREZ ON FIRST, N WALKER ON THIRD, 2 OUTS
CURRENT SCORE: PITTSBURGH 1
SAN DIEGO 2 TOP,3RD
DUE UP FOR PITTSBURGH: L MILLEDGE (.275, 1-FOR-1)
Pirates 1, Padres 2 Top 3, 0 OutsAug 10 10:47 PM - NL
AT SAN DIEGO - SCORING UPDATE
SINGLE BY WADE LEBLANC SCORED YORVIT TORREALBA
SITUATION: 2 RUNS IN, W LEBLANC ON FIRST, C DENORFIA ON SECOND, 2 OUTS
CURRENT SCORE: PITTSBURGH 0
SAN DIEGO 2 BOTTOM,2ND
DUE UP FOR SAN DIEGO: J HAIRSTON JR. (.254, 0-FOR-1)
Pirates 0, Padres 2 Bot 2, 0 OutsAug 10 10:38 PM - NL
AT SAN DIEGO - SCORING UPDATE
SOLO HOME RUN BY RYAN LUDWICK (12) TO LEFT WITH 0 OUT IN THE
2ND OFF JEFF KARSTENS.
CURRENT SCORE: PITTSBURGH 0, SAN DIEGO 1
DUE UP FOR SAN DIEGO: C HEADLEY (.277, 8 HR, 41 RBI)
Pirates 0, Padres 1 Bot 2, 0 OutsAug 10 10:29 PM - Confuzed The Pirates are still around ? When was the last time they did anything ?
Pirates vs. PadresAug 10 2:02 PM
Related News
- Update: Padres officially sign reliever Yuki Matsui to five-year deal Dec 23
- Pirates Top Games of 2023: No. 6 - Drew Maggi gets his moment Dec 23
- The Pirates got it right with Andrew McCutchen Dec 22
- Padres notes: Luis Patino brought back, Victor Rodriguez next hitting coach Dec 22
- Good Morning San Diego: Could Padres trade Ha-Seong Kim, Jake Cronenworth? Dec 22
- Bucs Arghticles: Pirates’ Andrew McCutchen makes comments after signing Dec 22
- Pirates targeting first baseman in upcoming MLB Draft Dec 22
- Good Morning San Diego: Who is new Padres reliever Yuki Matsui? Dec 21
- Bucs Arghticles: Pirates sign Ryan Mattson Dec 21
- Pirates Top Games of 2023: No. 7 - Johan Oviedo shuts out the Royals Dec 20
- Andrew McCutchen re-signs with Pirates for 2024 season Dec 19
- Good Morning San Diego: Braves release Matt Carpenter after Padres trade Dec 19