If you want to be a successful pitcher for the San Diego Padres, you have to be able to win low-scoring, one run ball games. Zech Lemond, the Padres’ 3rd round draft pick out of Rice University, did just that on Thursday night for the Eugene Emeralds. Max Beatty pitched 2 perfect innings of relief and Colby Blueberg held the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes scoreless in the 9th to preserve a 1-0 victory for the Emeralds (25-34).
In his best outing of the year, Lemond pitched 6 scoreless innings yielding only 2 hits, a walk, and a hit batsman against 4 strikeouts. His outing was efficient, too, requiring only 65 pitches (43 strikes). Lemond used a unique, over the top arm angle to deliver good downward tilt on his fastball. He consistently threw fastballs for strikes just below the knees of the batters and worked down in the strike zone all night. He induced 8 ground ball outs (57.1%). According to FanGraphs.com, the 2014 Major League average for ground ball percentage is 45.1%. Lemond improved to 2-2 and lowered his ERA to 3.77 in 28.2 innings.
In the second inning, the Volcanoes (32-27) went double-single to start the inning. With runners on the corners and no outs, Lemond struck out the next batter and then induced a ground ball to shortstop for an inning ending double play. That's how you win close games.
According to the Rice Baseball website, Lemond stepped in to fill the role of Friday night starter (or staff ace) for the Owls when injuries sidelined some of their starting pitching staff. Lower arm/elbow soreness sidelined Lemond for 6 weeks, as well. He finished the season strong pitching out of the bullpen. All tolled, Lemond pitched 53.2 college innings in 2014 and finished his college career with a 1.91 ERA in three seasons. (Again, courtesy of the Rice Baseball website). Lemond turns 22 this October.
Nick Torres had a nice defensive game in right field. He made a strong throw from the deep corner of foul territory to nearly nail a runner at second base after a double down the line. He showed good range to his right to snag a sharp line drive to end the 6th inning. And he was inches away from making a highlight reel diving catch to end the game at the fence in foul territory. Torres was the Padres’ 4th round selection in 2014 out of Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.The Emeralds manufactured the only run of the game in the bottom of the 6th inning. With River Stevens on second and Austin Bousfield on first and one out, both runners started on a double-steal hit-and-run when first baseman Trae Santos came through with a clutch single up the middle scoring Stevens.
Lemond and the bullpen made that lone run stand up. That is a valuable skill for a club that relies on defense and pitching to win games at the Major League level.