SD 5, MIA 3: Bats and bullpen pick up Despaigne's great start

The Friars climb another game closer to .500 and win their fourth strait in the first game of August. For those keeping track, that's 7 wins of the last 8 games, and the third series win in a row. The combination of an in-control Odrisamer Despaigne, another bursting offensive inning, and a solid bullpen helped the Pads secure their latest victory.

Ody came in hot today, after having been penciled in to replace Ian Kennedy yesterday before Kennedy jumped back into the slot. Today he nearly matched Ian's performance, giving six conservative innings of baseball allowing only two  runs on five hits, enough to keep the Friars well in the game, and issuing only a single walk while striking out five. His counterpart, righty Jose Urena, couldn't keep up, and fell behind giving up 8 hits and all 5 runs.

The offense poured out like Citi Field rain again today, when Justin Upton got the Pads up on the board early with a sacrifice fly in the first. The back and forth of a scoreless outing lasted only one more inning when the Friars started beating the crap out of Urena. First, a RBI-triple from Yangervis Solarte to score WIll Venable. Then, a quick sac fly from Matt Kemp to tack on another run. Finally, a two-run triple from Derek Norris to square things off at a confident 5-0.

Despaigne got a bit comfortable, letting singles from Donovan Solano and Dee Gorden trickle into put Miami up at 5-2. Then, after playing some match up, Shawn Kelley would come in to relieve Odrisamer, to eventually then be replaced by our new Friar Marc Rzepczynski to face pinch-hitter Justin Bour. He had the right stuff, but Bour was able to sneak a run in by bouncing a grounder high enough to avoid the inning-ending double play. Still, Padres up 5-3.

Big boy Joaquin Benoit came in to eat up a scoreless inning, and then Craig Kimbrel got his chance to redeem himself and shut down the game without any unnecessary drama. That's another series won against the Marlins in the books, as tomorrow we'll get to see a hell of a pitching matchup between James Shields and Jose Fernandez before hitting the road to Miluakee.

Darklighter raised the rec belt high tonight.