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The Padres will try to salvage the final game of this three-game set against the Giants after getting the twosies kicked out of them in the first pair. They have been outscored 17-1 while mustering only five hits to San Francisco's 25. Odrisamer Despaigne will be today's sacrificial lamb starting pitcher, going up against Mike Leake.
After a promising rookie campaign last year, Despaigne has gotten lit up on a regular basis this season. Placed in the bullpen to start the season, Odrisamer found his way back to the rotation due to Brandon Morrow's shoulder injury, then went back to the 'pen upon the emergence of Colin Rea. He's 5-8 with a 5.65 ERA but it's ever-so-slightly promising that it's "only" 5.25 as a starter, as opposed to 7.33 as a reliever. However, his ERA is 6.55 on the road, and that's where this game will be played. That is right in line with his 6.48 ERA in four games this year against the Giants. However, thanks to his dominance of them last season, that number is a fairly scant 3.19 with a 2-1 record.
Despaigne last faced these Giants less than two days ago; he pitched two innings of relief in Friday night's 9-1 loss, allowing four earned runs on five hits and a walk. He pitched a shutout inning against Colorado two nights earlier, but his previous appearance was disastrous. On September 3, at home against the Dodgers, he faced three batters, retired none of them, and was charged with three earned runs.
San Diego native Mike Leake is winless for the Giants since being acquired from the Reds at the trade deadline; he's 0-3 in five starts, bringing his record to 9-8. In his most recent start the Diamondbacks got to him for six earned runs on three walks and 11 hits, two of which were home runs. One can only hope that Leake shows up today, not the one who has a 3.07 lifetime ERA in five starts against the Padres.
Leake's first pitch is scheduled for 1:05pm. The game can be viewed on FOX Sports San Diego or listened to on the Mighty 1090 - or your phone or whatever if you're like me and live in the wrong part of the country.