September 2011
Quietly dominant
Overshadowed by a slow start, Mat Latos has quietly put together another dominant year on the mound. He finished his 2011 campaign with 7.0 shutout innings of two-hit ball last night over the Cubs, leading the Friars to a 2-0 victory.
Over his last 23 starts of the season, beginning with his May 25 outing, Latos went 8-8 with a 3.13 ERA (52 ER/149.1 IP), .229 opponent batting average and 8.6 strikeouts per 9.0 IP. During that span, he averaged over 6.0 innings per start while allowing just over two runs per start. Latos matched last year’s total with 31 starts, while besting his 2010 workload with 194.1 innings of work this season (184.2 IP in 2010).
Finale vs. the Cubbies
The Padres welcome the Cubs to town for a three-game set to wrap up the 2011 campaign. The last series of the season will see Mat Latos, Anthony Bass and Wade LeBlanc take on Casey Coleman, Matt Garza and Ryan Dempster.
San Diego dropped yesterday’s game to the Dodgers, losing 6-2 and snapping a stellar streak of five consecutive games with two or fewer runs allowed. The five-game streak was two shy of the franchise record, accomplished three times. It was the 15th such streak of at least five games in club history.
Some off day reading
As you know, the Padres completed the sweep of the Rockies yesterday and will enjoy an off day today before wrapping up the season with a six-game homestand. The Dodgers come to town this weekend, followed by a three-game set against the Cubbies to conclude the 2011 campaign.
For this weekend’s series against the Dodgers, the Padres will throw Wade LeBlanc, Aaron Harang and Cory Luebke against Ted Lilly, Chad Billingsley and Clayton Kershaw.
To help get you through the day, here is some light reading. Two minor league championships, stellar pitching a mile high and a preview of what’s to come at PETCO Park:
Affiliates make Padres’ mother ship proud – Corey Brock (MLB.com)
On Deck: Padres pitchers set mark at Coors Field – Bill Center (Union-Tribune)
Strong finish on the road
The Padres completed the three-game sweep of the Rockies this afternoon with a 4-0 win in Denver. The sweep was the Padres fifth of the year, third on the road and first since taking a four-game set from the Marlins in August.
Over the three games in Colorado, the Padres pitching staff dominated the Rockies bats. The Friars allowed just three runs over the series, silencing the Colorado offense to the tune of 14-for-92 (.152) at the plate, including Monday’s one-hitter. The win is the Padres fifth in their last six games, giving them some momentum as they head home for six games to finish the season.
Allowing three runs over a three-game series at Coors Field is an impressive feat. So impressive, in fact, that no team has ever held the Rockies to three-or-fewer runs in a series of at least three games. The Rockies have been limited to four runs in a three-game series at home twice (2005 and 2008).
Bass for the sweep
Anthony Bass takes the hill today, making his second career start as the Padres look to complete a three-game sweep of the Rockies and grab their fifth win in the last six games. Bass’ first career start came in his Major League debut on June 13, also at Colorado. In that game, he tossed 5.0 innings of one-run ball to pick up the win.
This afternoon’s game also marks the final road game of the season, with the team coming home for a six-game homestand (9/23-28) to wrap up the 2011 campaign. The Padres are 35-45 away from home this year.
Padres One-Hitters
Cory Luebke grabbed his sixth win of the season last night, working 7.0 innings of one-hit ball while striking out a career-high-tying nine Rockies. Ernesto Frieri finished off the game, striking out three over the final two frames to complete the one-hitter. The only hit by the Rockies came on a two-out homer by Mark Ellis in the sixth inning.
The Padres, one of two Major League teams who have yet to throw a no-hitter (also the Mets), have now recorded 25 one-hitters in franchise history. That total includes five over the past three seasons (three in 2009; one in 2010). Last night’s effort marked the eighth combined one-hitter by the Padres.
