|
Their winning streak is over, but the
San Diego Padres
are still feeling better about themselves than they were last month.
The Padres (17-16) look to bounce back after their first loss in 10 contests when they continue a three-game series with the
Milwaukee Brewers
(17-16) Wednesday at Petco Park.
San Diego's nine-game winning streak was its longest since a club-record 14-game run from June 18-July 2, 2005. But perhaps
more importantly, it got the Padres back on track after an 8-15 start.
The Padres' run ended with Tuesday's 10-inning, 5-4 loss in the series opener when Milwaukee's
Corey Koskie
doubled in the go-ahead run off
Trevor Hoffman
with two outs in the 10th.
Khalil Greene
hit a three-run homer for San Diego, remaining hot at the plate. Greene, who leads the team with seven homers, also homered
off
Greg Maddux
in Monday night's 8-3 win over the
Chicago Cubs
and went 4-for-4 with four RBIs in Sunday's 6-3 win over the Cubs.
Carlos Lee
and
Jeff Cirillo
homered for the Brewers, who ended a three-game losing streak. Lee, who scored the winning run, has 15 homers and is two behind
major league leader
Albert Pujols
of St. Louis.
Cirillo started in place of rookie first baseman
Prince Fielder
, who sat out due to groin tightness. Fielder was available to pinch hit and is expected to be back in the lineup on Wednesday
night.
If history is any indication, the Padres have a good chance at bouncing back in this game. San Diego starter
Chan Ho Park
(1-1, 4.12 ERA) is 6-0 with a 2.36 ERA in nine starts against the Brewers. The ERA is his best against any NL team.
Park is coming off his best outing since joining the Padres in the middle of last season, allowing just two hits in nine innings
of San Diego's 11-inning, 1-0 win over the Cubs on Friday. Park, who gave up just two singles and four walks while striking
out four, had allowed 17 runs in 25 2-3 innings in his first four starts.
''I felt strong,'' Park said. ''I could have gone another inning, sure. It was a great outing for me. I'm very happy to help
the team win the game.''
Milwaukee will counter with
Chris Capuano
(4-2, 2.63 ERA), who allowed three runs and a season-high 10 hits in six innings but didn't receive a decision in the Brewers'
4-3 loss to the
Los Angeles Dodgers
on Friday.
He had given up just three runs in his previous three starts - all wins - including a complete-game, 9-0 victory over the
Cubs on April 30.
''I don't think he was quite as sharp as he has been,'' manager
Ned Yost
said. ''But he found ways to keep us in the ballgame.''
Capuano is 2-1 with a 3.06 ERA in three starts against the Padres.
The Brewers will place starter
Ben Sheets
on the 15-day disabled list on Wednesday with tendinitis in his right shoulder. Sheets, who began the season on the DL with
a strained shoulder, is 1-3 with a 6.64 ERA in four starts.
|
