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Padres News: Padres Hit The Road To San Fran

By Nick Lee |
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Apr 13, 2015; San Francisco, CA, USA; San Francisco Giants fans celebrate last years World Series win during opening day festivities at AT&T Park in San Francisco. Mandatory Credit: Lance Iversen-USA TODAY Sports

The San Diego Padres (14-12) travel to the Bay Area to face the improved San Francisco Giants (12-13). Both teams are coming off of sweeping their opponent. The Padres swept the Colorado Rockies right out of San Diego to give them a happy flight north. The Giants swept the Los Angeles Angels at home and ending it with a shutout at the hands of Tim Lincecum.

The last time these two teams met, the Padres won three out of four in San Diego which gave them momentum to have an impressive start to April. This is the Friars’ first visit to AT&T Park this season. The Padres look to continue their new-found momentum after the sweep. The Friars had a lackluster finish to April but have seemed to turn things around here in May, as they are 3-0 to start the month.

The Giants have really turned it around since their dismal start to the season. They will be a lot tougher this time around.

Apr 28, 2015; San Diego, CA, USA; San Diego Padres starting pitcher Tyson Ross (38) pitches during the first inning against the Houston Astros at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

Game 1 Monday, 7:15pm

Tyson Ross (1-2, 4.55 ERA) vs. Madison Bumgarner (2-1, 3.73 ERA)

Ross is looking to bounce back from one of the roughest start of the season so far. He got tagged for the loss against the Houston Astros when he allowed a season-high four runs in five innings. He did, however, strike out nine in the process. The Padres starting pitching leads all of major league baseball in strikeouts as a rotation.

Ross has eight appearances against the Giants in his career, with a 3-2 record and a 3.89 ERA. He faced them earlier this season and allowed three runs and walked four while getting his only win of the season thus far.

Bumgarner had his worst start of the 2015 season so far against the Padres last month. The Padres are a unique situation in that their best hitters are all right-handed. The lefty Bumgarner allowed five runs on 10 hits in only three innings. The reigning World Series MVP has been more Bumgarner-like since that Saturday night.

He has 18 starts against the Padres throughout his career. He is 6-5 with a 3.80 ERA.

Justin Upton has the best numbers against Bumgarner. He is 11-for-27 (.407) with a home run.

Apr 29, 2015; San Diego, CA, USA; San Diego Padres starting pitcher Andrew Cashner (34) pitches during the first inning against the Houston Astros at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

Game 2 Tuesday, 7:15pm

Andrew Cashner (1-4, 2.61 ERA) vs. Ryan Vogelsong (0-2, 9.31 ERA)

Cashner had to face the red-hot Houston Astros his last time out and he pitched pretty well. He set a franchise record by striking out the first six batters he faced and he ended the day with 10 total. He went seven innings and only allowed two runs but, much like 2014, he was tagged for the loss despite a great outing.

He has 11 appearances against the Giants including five starts. He is 2-3 with a 4.54 ERA.

Vogelsong has struggled throughout the season. In his last start, he allowed six runs in three innings. He is 4-6 with a 5.66 ERA in his career against San Diego.

Matt Kemp has a career .375 average in 32 at-bats against Vogelsong with a home run.

Cashner will need to be careful of Buster Posey. He is hitting .579 off of Cashner with two home runs. Posey has four home runs with a .778 OPS this season.

May 1, 2015; San Diego, CA, USA; San Diego Padres starting pitcher Ian Kennedy (22) pitches during the first inning against the Colorado Rockies at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

Game 3 Wednesday, 12:45pm

Ian Kennedy (1-1, 7.11 ERA) vs. Chris Heston (2-2, 2.51 ERA)

Kennedy bounced back nicely from his disastrous start against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Against the Rockies, he only allowed two runs in six innings and struck out six. He got his first win of the season.

Kennedy has 21 starts against the Giants in his career. He has always pitched well against them, posting a 9-4 record with a 2.48 ERA.

The rookie Heston has pitched well so far for the Giants. He will be making his 7th career start in the major leagues. He has one career start against the Padres.  He allowed three runs in four innings in a no-decision.

Brandon Belt has good numbers against Kennedy. He is hitting .320 with two home runs.

The Padres have a lot of momentum heading into this series, as do the Giants. It will be a battle and I am predicting that the Padres lose this series two games to one, but it can go either way. The Giants always play better at home and the Padres have had recent troubles at AT&T Park.

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