|
The last time the
Los Angeles Dodgers
were swept by the
San Diego Padres
on the road, right-hander
Chad Billingsley
was in rookie ball.
Now a major league rookie, Billingsley makes his debut when the Dodgers (35-30) and Padres conclude their three-game series
at Petco Park on Thursday.
Regarded as the Dodgers' top pitching prospect, Billingsley was recalled Tuesday from Triple-A Las Vegas, where the 21-year-old
former first-round pick went 6-3 with a 3.95 ERA this season, striking out a league-high 78 and walking 32 in 70 2-3 innings.
He averaged just 5 1-3 innings in his 13 starts and often reached high pitch counts, but that doesn't concern Dodgers catcher
Russell Martin
, who caught Billingsley at every level in the minors.
''He'll probably be nervous tomorrow, but I know if his fastball is up, I'll call a curveball and bring him back down in the
zone,'' said Martin. ''I know how to work with him. I think he'll be fine. If we get the first guy, he'll be fine. He was
probably ready at the end of last year, that's how good I think he is.''
Billingsley was named the organization's minor league pitcher of the year the previous two seasons after going a combined
24-10 with a 3.05 ERA for Class A Vero Beach and Double-A Jacksonville.
He will have his hands full with a Padres (34-31) team that has won five straight games meetings with the Dodgers, including
the first two of this series by a combined 14-4 score.
Adrian Gonzalez
hit a go-ahead RBI double in the eighth and
Mark Bellhorn
stroked a two-run homer off
Brad Penny
in San Diego's 5-3 victory Wednesday, which put the Padres in position to notch their first home sweep of the Dodgers since
July 7-8, 2003.
Chan Ho Park
pitched six strong innings in a 9-1 win in the series opener Tuesday.
The victories moved the Padres just one game behind NL West leaders Los Angeles and Arizona.
''To come back and beat the team that's in first place, that's huge for us,'' Gonzalez said. ''Tomorrow, if we win, we can
get right back in the mix in that first-place area.''
Right-hander
Chris Young
(6-3, 3.25 ERA) is slated to start the finale for San Diego.
Young has won three straight starts for the first time and has been one of the most dominating pitchers in the majors in recent
weeks.
The 6-foot-10 right-hander struck out a career-high 12 and allowed just one run in six innings of a 3-2 win Friday over Florida.
Young's ERA is 0.41 ERA during his winning streak. He has 24 strikeouts in his last 22 innings while giving up just eight
hits for a .111 opponent batting average.
''He's locating so well right now,'' said Padres manager
Bruce Bochy
. ''He's pitched as well as any pitcher I've seen for three starts.''
Young is 0-1 with a 2.70 ERA against the Dodgers in his career. He gave up three runs and struck out four in 6 2-3 innings
of an 11-5 Padres win at Los Angeles on May 3.
|
