Padres at Pirates
The San Diego Padres signed Eric Hosmer to an eight-year, $144-million contract as a free agent in February to bring a reliable run producer into the middle of the order, and that is exactly what he has been doing of late. The former All-Star Game MVP attempts to run his streak of driving in at least one run to five outings Saturday when the Padres visit the Pittsburgh Pirates for the third contest of a four-game series.
Hosmer hit safely for the seventh straight game with an RBI double to get San Diego on the board in the fourth inning Friday after falling behind early, while his second double of the contest put him into position to score the eventual winning run in the sixth during Friday's 3-2 victory. The 28-year-old first baseman not only moved into the National League lead with 16 doubles on the season, but he increased his RBI total over the last four games to seven - only six fewer than he had in his first 38 contests as a Padre. Pittsburgh stranded at least one runner in scoring position in each of the final three innings while dropping a one-run game for the first time in seven tries at home. The loss was only the Pirates' second in their last 10 contests, but it caused them to fall one-half game behind first-place Milwaukee in the National League Central.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, FS San Diego, AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh
PITCHING MATCHUP: Padres LH Clayton Richard (2-5, 5.20 ERA) vs. Pirates RH Nick Kingham (2-0, 2.92)
Richard became the first Padre to record consecutive eight-inning starts since 2014 against St. Louis on Sunday, yielding two runs while matching a career high with 10 strikeouts to halt a personal four-game losing streak. While his offense has been of little help to him in his outings (no run support in four of his eight turns), the 34-year-old hasn't been very effective on the road either (1-2, 8.36 ERA). Richard was charged with four unearned runs over six frames in a no-decision in his only start in Pittsburgh last year.
Kingham is expected to be recalled to make his first big-league start since May 4, when he permitted four runs on six hits - including a pair of homers - across 5 1/3 innings at Milwaukee. The Houston native had the unenviable task of trying to follow up his sterling major-league debut on April 29, taking a perfect game into the seventh inning while striking out nine in a win versus St. Louis. Kingham lost his last start Monday for Double-A Altoona on Monday, giving up four runs in five frames.
WALK-OFFS
1. Pirates OF Starling Marte (oblique) was placed on the 10-day disabled list Friday, allowing top prospect OF Austin Meadows to make his big-league debut. Meadows singled twice in four at-bats.
2. The Padres released 3B Chase Headley on Friday.
3. Pittsburgh 2B Adam Frazier, who walked three times and scored twice Friday, is 1-for-19 over his last eight contests but has scored six times.