Phillies at Padres
When a team such as the San Diego Padres struggles,
every opponent can seem like the 1927 Yankees. The Padres host
Philadelphia on Saturday in the third of a four-game series and their
problems with the Phillies isn’t a recent phenomenon. Philadelphia has
won 13 straight in San Diego and is 23-7 overall against San Diego since
the start of 2008. The Padres have the worst record in baseball at 3-12
and will be hard-pressed to snap their four-game losing streak with
Phillies ace Roy Halladay on the hill.
Halladay is coming off his
worst performance of the year when he allowed two runs, seven hits and
walked an unusually high three in eight innings in a 5-2 victory at San
Francisco on Monday and is well on his way to another Cy Young-type
season. San Diego counters with Cory Luebke, who should be loaded with
confidence after pitching well at hitter-friendly Coors Field in his
last start.
TV: 8:30 p.m. ET, PHL 17 (Philadelphia), FS San Diego
PITCHING MATCHUP: Phillies RH Roy Halladay (3-0, 1.17 ERA 0.00) vs. Padres LH Cory Luebke (1-1, 3.71 ERA)
Halladay
is 3-0 with a 1.10 WHIP and 1.90 ERA in three lifetime starts against
the Padres. The San Diego roster is hitting .263 against him with Jason
Bartlett (11-for-37, .297) having the most hits and the largest sample.
Halladay has pitched 23 innings in his first three starts with a 0.78
WHIP, well below his 1.17 career number.
Perhaps the most
impressive statistic for Luebke against Colorado on Monday was the 12
groundouts he recorded. Luebke also allowed one run and six hits in
seven innings and threw 21 changeups in the Padres’ 7-1 victory. San
Diego won his previous start, 2-1 over Arizona on April 11, but Luebke
got a no-decision.
WALK-OFFS
1. San Diego left fielder
Carlos Quentin, who had arthroscopic knee surgery on March 19, has
resumed live batting practice and could be back in early May.
2. The Phillies are 24-4 at Petco Park since it opened in 2004 and haven’t lost there since Aug. 16, 2008.
3. Juan Pierre has eight hits in his last 22 at-bats, including a two-run single to help Philadelphia to a 4-1 victory Friday.