Stults Struggles Continue On The Road In Padres Loss To The Giants

April 29, 2014; San Francisco, CA, USA; San Diego Padres starting pitcher

(53) reacts as he is removed from the game in a pitching change against the San Francisco Giants during the third inning at AT&T Park. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

After a night when the Padres scored more than four runs for the first time in fourteen games and hit their first home run in over a week, the bats once again fell silent in a 6-0 loss Tuesday night in the second game of the three game series with the San Francisco Giants. Padres starter Eric Stults struggled again on the road giving up five runs over 2.2 innings.

Giants starter Matt Cain was scratched from tonight’s game when he cut his finger pregame during batting practice. Right-hander Yusmeiro Petit  filled in brilliantly pitching six scoreless innings giving up three hits and striking out four. The Padres went hitless to start the game before Everth Cabrera‘s single in the top of the fourth ended Petit’s streak of nine consecutive outs. Giants manager Bruce Bochy then handed the ball over to his bullpen where the Padres failed to get anything going.

Stults struggled right off the bat in the first inning allowing a leadoff homerun to Angel Pagan who blasted his  second of the year over the left field wall. Buster Posey followed it up two batters later with his sixth homerun of the year making it 2-0. The Giants finally ended Stults night with RBI singles by Brandon Crawford and Hector Sanchez in the third inning.

The Padres bullpen pitched well in relief allowing one unearned run over 6.1 innings. Donn Roach came in and went 4.1 allowing only two hits while Alex Torres pitched a scoreless eighth fanning two.

Following a nine hit game Monday, Padres’ bats went cold managing only three hits off of Giant pitching. The club continues to lack consistency on offense failing to advance runners and hit with men in scoring position.

The Padres are looking to rebound tomorrow night when they face the Giants in the rubber game of the three games series. The team is ending a ten game road trip before heading home to face another NL West rival the Arizona Diamondbacks. Robbie Erlin (1.3, 6.35)  is looking to rebound from a terrible outing in Washington when he squares off against Giants Tim Hudson (3-1, 2.19) at 7:15 Pst.