Padres Let Lead and Series Slip

Wednesday began with a change in player personnel. No, not a trade, but a recall. Abraham Almonte was called back up to the San Diego Padres and Will Middlebrooks was sent down to AAA El Paso to work on his swing. Almonte was immediately inserted in the lineup in Left Field as the leadoff hitter.

Jedd Gyorko got the Padres on the board in the 2nd, when he launched a solo shot to left field.

In the 3rd, Almonte got on the base paths with a single. The hot hitting Matt Kemp came aboard and hammered a ball to left field. The speedy Almonte was well on his way home to score but was unfortunately held at third due to a ground rule double. Matt Cain made a few tricky pitches to strike out Gyorko and get out of the jam.

James Shields took the mound for the Padres on “Throwback Wednesday” and began the game in usual fashion, working out of jams and keeping the Giants off the scoreboard. His pitch count sat at 96 after 5 innings, so Pat Murphy pulled him after a scoreless effort for Marcos Mateo.

Mateo came out firing, quickly retiring Buster Posey, Hunter Pence, and thought he had the Brandon Belt on the strike out. His next pitch he hung a slider to Belt who drove a home run to center field to tie the game.

Brandon Maurer came on to work the 7th inning, but did not have his usual command. Buster Posey came up with two on two out, and picked up both RBIs with a line drive to right field. On the next pitch Hunter Pence lifted a soft single to right field to bring in Posey and make the game 4-1.

Dale Thayer came in to pitch the 8th, and the game continued to slip away. Former UCLA Bruin Brandon Crawford crushed a homer to right to make the game 5-1. From there the Giants continued to string hits together to make the score 7-1.

The Padres will try to start up another winning streak Friday against the Marlins, when Tom Koehler (7-6 3.38 ERA) takes on Tyson Ross (6-7 3.38 ERA).

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