Padres Look to Hahn to Halt Skid

June 24, 2014; San Francisco, CA, USA; San Diego Padres starting pitcher Jesse Hahn (45) delivers a pitch against the San Francisco Giants during the first inning at AT&T Park. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

After winning 6 of 8 games, the Padres have fallen back to their hold losing ways. The Friars have now lost 3 straight after last night’s 2-1 loss to the Dodgers and Clayton Kershaw. Aside from breaking up Kershaw’s incredible scoreless streak, the offense has been woeful scoring just 5 runs during this skid.

The Padres will send rookie Jesse Hahn (4-2, 2.34 ERA) to try to end this brief slide. Since getting recalled from Double-A for his second big league stint he’s been dominant. He’s 4-1 with a 1.45 ERA and a strikeout rate of 10.45 in 5 starts. He may not be Kershaw, but those are some pretty impressive numbers. His last start was the first time he’s scuffled since his horrendous major league debut.

Hahn went 7 innings allowing 3 runs while striking out only 5 and picked up the loss. Those numbers still look pretty good, but, excluding his big league debut which lasted just 3 2/3 innings, it’s the most runs and fewest strikeouts he’s recorded in a start. It did tie his longest outing of the year though, so progress was made. Now he’ll be facing the tough lineup and in enemy territory. His fellow rookie Odrisamer Despaigne looked sharp when he was put up to the task, will Hahn follow suit.

One thing Hahn doesn’t have to contend with that Despaigne did was the best pitcher in baseball, Clayton Kershaw. Instead Hahn and the Padres will have a bit of an easier task getting to face Dan Haren (8-5, 4.06 ERA). Haren struggled in his last outing where he faced the Colorado Rockies. He allowed 8 runs on 10 hits in 5 1/3 innings. He also gave up 2 home runs that night too and that’s become a trend for him. In his last 11 starts he’s given up at least one in 10 of them.