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The Padres began their road trip with an exciting win over the Cubs that involved not one, but TWO comebacks, and included homers from two different Wil(l)s. As many noted, it was a refreshing and new feeling to be able to still believe comebacks were possible after going down by more than a run, and to be able to rely on offense to back their pitchers when they aren't perfect. Others also pointed out how nice it was that, despite getting no offense from Derek Norris, Matt Kemp, OR Justin Upton, the team still put up five runs. Eleven games into the season and it feels like we can start to let our guards down and really just enjoy what AJ Preller and company have put together for us.
So today we get set to watch the Padres attempt to clinch another series win - their third in a row. Tyson Ross gets the ball in game 2 at Wrigley Field, working on just one prior appearance at the ballpark. Last July in his first and only time pitching at Wrigley, he kept the Cubs to one run and collected 11 strikeouts through six strong innings of work.
This time around, Chicago is touting an improved roster, including minor league phenom and "super-prospect" Kris Bryant, whose callup yesterday was anticlimactic (he went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts against James Shields) except for a couple of admittedly impressive defensive plays. The Cubs also have Jorge Soler in the lineup doing damaging to opposing pitchers so far this season. In his first 33 major league games (nine this season), he's driven in 28 runs while batting .293. And then there's the guy who continues to make Padres fans bitter, Anthony Rizzo. In the first nine games of 2015, Rizzo hit .259 with a home run and 5 RBI.
Onthe mound for the Cubs will be right-hander Kyle Kendricks, who hasn't had the best start to his 2015 season. In season debut on Sunday, he gave up five runs and lasted only 4 1/3 innings. He did, however, pitch well in his only previous start against San Diego last July. Kendo Kendricks the seven scoreless innings in that appearance to hear the Cubs to a shutout victory.