|
 Entering the game with the worst offense in the major leagues --
a .221 team batting average while scoring just under three runs a
game -- the Padres exploded for a season-high 11 runs on 12 hits,
including four doubles and two homers, to rout the Chicago Cubs 11-1
at Petco Park and snap a four-game losing streak.
The beneficiary of the support was right-hander Tim Stauffer, who
made his first start since May 14, 2012, because Friday's scheduled
starter, left-hander Robbie Erlin, went on the disabled list
Thursday afternoon with elbow soreness.
Normally the long man in the bullpen Stauffer shut out the Cubs on
two hits and a walk over five innings. He threw a total of 77
pitches, but only 50 over his final four innings.
"I felt good out there," said the 31-year-old Stauffer. "Getting out
of that first inning made a big difference."
Once he did, the Padres went to work on right-handed Cubs starter
Edwin Jackson.
The Padres scored four runs in the first inning -- their largest
first-inning count at Petco Park since they last scored four on
Sept. 4, 2012, against Colorado -- and added three in the second.
By the time the Padres were finished with Jackson, he had given up
eight runs on nine hits and two walks in four innings.
Two of the hits were home runs by first baseman Yonder Alonso and
catcher Yasmani Grandal. Jackson, who pitched seven shutout innings
in his previous start, gave up two home runs in a span of the first
eight batters he faced after allowing only two homers in the first
54 innings he worked this season.
His record fell to 3-4 and his earned run average shot up to 4.94
from 3.98.
Alonso and Grandal, who had two RBIs apiece, were far from San
Diego's only offensive heroes.
Third baseman Chase Headley drove in three runs with a two-run
double and a run scoring single. Left fielder Seth Smith, who is
hitting .409 this season at Petco Park, also had a two-run single.
Center fielder Cameron had a pair of doubles and scored three runs.
Headley, Alonso and shortstop Everth Cabrera all had two hits and
two runs scored. Second baseman Jedd Gyorko also had two hits to
raise his batting average to .169.
"We stayed on him (Jackson)," said Padres manager Bud Black. "We
haven't had many of those.
"When that happens (high-scoring games), there's a different feeling
in the dugout, a different vibe. Guys want to get to the bat rack,
they want to start hacking, They want to get involved. And that kind
of happened."
Jackson has had trouble with the Padres in the past. Friday night's
debacle dropped Jackson's record against the Padres to 0-5 with a
6.94 ERA.
[to top of second column] |
"It doesn't matter how they are hitting," said Jackson. "This is the
big leagues. Players up here can hit. I didn't make adjustments. You
have to slow the game down and control the game. I let it spiral out
of control.
"Tonight was just a terrible job of making adjustments all the way
around. I didn't give myself a chance. It happens. All you can do is
keep grinding. I let that game spiral out of control."
"Chalk that one up and move on," said Cubs manager Rick Renteria.
"That's probably not one of his best outings. His command wasn't as
sharp as it had been."
Cabrera opened the Padres first with a line-drive single to left.
Maybin chased Cabrera to third by pulling a double down the line in
left. Smith followed with a two-run single lined over second. Alonso
then hit a 411-foot drive to right center for his second homer in
seven games -- and second homer of the season.
Grandal opened the second with a 360-foot homer to left. After
Cabrera hit his second opposite-field single and Smith drew a walk,
Headley hit a two-run double.
The loss was Chicago's second in the last six games.
NOTES: RHP Billy Buckner will be promoted from Triple-A El Paso
Saturday morning to start Saturday night's game for the Padres. ...
Cubs RHP Pedro Strop, who has been on the disabled list since May 7
with a left groin strain, is close to starting a rehab assignment
according to manager Rick Renteria. ... Cubs LF Junior Lake tied his
career high nine-game hitting streak with a double in the first
Friday. ... Renteria was 1-1 on replay challenges Friday night. He
scored a victory in the bottom of the fourth when second base umpire
Gerry Davis's call that Cubs RF Nate Schierholtz dropped a
fourth-inning line drive off the bat of Seth Smith was reversed. But
in the top of the fifth, first base umpire Phil Cuzzi's call that
pitcher Tim Stauffer touched first ahead of CF Emilio Bonifacio (on
a ground to 1B Alonso) was upheld.
[© 2014 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
Copyright 2014 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
 |
