Padres at Phillies
Vince Velasquez and Drew Pomeranz each impressed with their new teams as part of the season's opening week. On Thursday, the two hurlers will look to deliver a strong encore performance when they square off in the finale of a four-game series between the host Philadelphia Phillies and the San Diego Padres.
Velasquez tossed six scoreless innings in his Philadelphia debut, while Pomeranz yielded two runs in a victory in his first start with San Diego. Both teams were swept in their season-opening three-game series, but the Phillies have rallied with four wins in their last six games. The most recent triumph in that stretch was a 2-1 victory Wednesday as Maikel Franco drove in both runs to support Jerad Eickhoff's seven scoreless innings. The Padres' offensive issues continued Wednesday as the team managed only six hits - albeit one more than the Phillies - and they were nearly shut out for the fifth time this season.
TV: 1:05 p.m. ET, FSN San Diego, CSN Philadelphia
PITCHING MATCHUP: Padres LH Drew Pomeranz (1-0, 3.60 ERA) vs. Phillies RH Vince Velasquez (1-0, 0.00)
Pomeranz arrived in San Diego over the winter in the deal that landed Yonder Alonso in Oakland. The 27-year-old made nine starts and 44 relief appearances for the Athletics last season, going 5-6 with a 3.66 ERA, and was effective over five innings in his win over Colorado to open 2016. Ryan Howard is the only Phillie who has faced him more than three times, and the former National League MVP is 0-for-4 with two strikeouts against Pomeranz.
Velasquez came over in the offseason in the trade that sent closer Ken Giles to Houston and he quickly impressed his new team. The 23-year-old struck out nine while allowing three hits in six scoreless innings against the New York Mets last weekend. He has never faced the Padres, nor has he ever encountered any of their active hitters.
WALK-OFFS
1. Aside from a 29-run outburst over two games last weekend, the Padres have scored a total of eight runs in their other seven games.
2. Franco is 5-for-11 with three RBIs in the series.
3. Philadelphia RHP Jeanmar Gomez allowed a run in the ninth Wednesday but still improved to 4-for-4 in save opportunities.