Cashner is Money

May 6, 2013; San Diego, CA, USA; San Diego Padres relief pitcher

(34) throws during the first inning against the Miami Marlins at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports

The Miami Marlins visit San Diego on a rainy day and run into a buzzsaw in Andrew Cashner, who goes 7 1/3 innings, giving up no runs, allowing 4 hits and striking out 4.  My heart is singing on the inside.  The Miami Marlins, while not to be confused with the Yankees or Red Sox, nonetheless, come into San Diego hot, but end the night ice cold.

Cashner goes deep into the game and pitches efficiently and effectively, throwing only 97 pitches.  He was only truly stressed in the 3rd inning, loading bases with 2 outs before striking out Justin Ruggiano swinging on an 86 mph change up that was set up on the previous pitch by a 96 mph four seam fastball.  Andrew Cashner still is a fire baller – but he is learning to be a pitcher, and quickly.  Tonight he mixed in a slider as well, and was able to command his change up and throw it with comfort and from virtually anywhere in the count.

As for the hitters, I wanted to call out especially the play of Everth Cabrera again for another great line on the box score with all sorts of stats.  He went 1-2, with 2 BB, 1 R, 1 RBI, and 2 SB plus a few good defensive plays.  However, a lasting impact that Cabby had on the game beyond the box score, was scoring the first Padre run off a Rob Brantly miscue in the first and setting the tone early.  Brantly incidentally is an almost San Diegan local, playing high school in Temecula at Chapparal High School.  Cabby walks in the first and steals second.  While on second, Carlos Quentin skies a fly ball with 2 outs only a few feet out of the hitters box for a routine pop fly.  Cabby puts his head down and start running from 2B, and motors past 3B on his way to home before Brantly is even in a position to make a play.  Cabby puts himself in a position to manufacture a run out of really nothing, which when you add in a little bit of (mis)fortune on the side of Padres, you end up with a recipe for a run.  That’s scrappy, that’s opportunistic, and that’s what we need right now.  I just watched 42 over the weekend, and Cabby sure reminds me a little of another baseball great who could create havoc on the basepaths in Jackie Robinson.  And he can steal home too.

I have to say that tonight’s lineup – looks pretty fearsome and has some scrappy swagger to it.  I really like this line.

1) Chris Denorfia CF

2) Everth Cabrera SS

3) Chase Headley 3B

4) Carlos Quentin LF

5) Kyle Blanks RF

6) Yonder Alonso 1B

7) Jedd Gyorko 2B

8) Nick Hundley C

9) Andrew Cashner P

Here we go Padres, here we go!