Pirates at Padres
The San Diego Padres haven't been hitting for much power this season so
the series-opening onslaught against the Pittsburgh Pirates was a
stunning occurrence. The Padres blasted three homers to account for all
their runs in Tuesday's 5-4 victory over the Pirates and will attempt to
clear the fences some more when the teams meet Wednesday.
First baseman Wil Myers and catcher Derek Norris smacked two-run homers and second baseman Adam Rosales hit a solo blast as the three-homer outing raised San Diego's season count to 12. The hot-hitting Myers is 8-for-19 over the past four games to raise his average 70 points to .281 while Norris (.156) didn't have a homer or an RBI this season until connecting off Pittsburgh starter Francisco Liriano in the fifth inning. Pirates standout center fielder Andrew McCutchen has just four RBIs this season — two coming on solo homers — and was 0-for-3 with runners in scoring position in Tuesday's defeat to drop to 1-for-14 in that situation for the season. McCutchen stranded six runners in those three at-bats with the most damaging one being when he grounded into an inning-ending double play with runners on first and second in the eighth and Pittsburgh down by one run.
TV: 10:10 p.m. ET, ROOT (Pittsburgh), FSN San Diego
PITCHING MATCHUP: Pirates LH Jeff Locke (0-1, 2.53 ERA) vs. Padres LH Drew Pomeranz (1-1, 3.27)
Locke has been roughed up in both his career outings against San Diego, going 0-2 with a 10.00 ERA and allowing 15 hits and six walks in just nine innings. He has struggled with left fielder Matt Kemp (4-for-7), first baseman Brett Wallace (3-for-5, one homer) and catcher Christian Bethancourt (3-for-6). Locke lost to the Milwaukee Brewers on Friday when he walked seven and gave up three runs (two earned) and five hits in 4 2/3 innings.
Pomeranz suffered the loss to Philadelphia on Thursday despite striking out eight and giving up just two runs and three hits in six innings. He has a 1.18 WHIP and limited opposing batters to a .189 batting average through two starts, giving up just seven hits in 11 innings. Pomeranz has held Pittsburgh third baseman David Freese to two hits in 11 at-bats, but both hits are doubles.
WALK-OFFS
1. Kemp was hitless in five at-bats in the opener and is 4-for-31 during his past eight games.
2. Pittsburgh 2B Josh Harrison has two hits in each of the past three games and four of the last five.
3. San Diego 2B Cory Spangenberg (quadriceps) left the opener and is questionable for Wednesday's contest.