Games like what we saw yesterday are what make baseball fun to watch. The stand-in centerfielder opened the game with a homer on the first pitch. The struggling rightfielder slugged his way to hero status. The surprise first baseman made a great diving catch into the stands, and the regular first baseman DH’ed a homer. Oh, and there was a healthy dose of swoon in there, too. Boy, that’s fun to watch. Now it’s on to game two of the three-game series, and judging by the recent track record of today’s White Sox starter, the Padres have a pretty good chance of securing the series win.
The Padres are sending the best starter in their corps to the mound in Trevor Cahill. His hot start is in danger today, as the White Sox seem to have his number. Five Sox hitters have seen him, and they’re a collective 8-for-18, so they must have a pretty good book on him. That said, Cahill’s switched up his repertoire this year, with a revised cutter and heavy usage of a modified knuckle-curve, so the White Sox hitters will have a new look in front of them.
While the Padres have been well-known for their recent collection of Rule 5 draft selections, the White Sox have a Rule 5 player of their own in starter Dylan Covey. The longtime A’s farmhand never saw action above AA ball in Oakland’s organization before being selected by the Sox last December. Known to induce mass quantities of ground balls with his above-average command of four pitches, Covey was a surprise addition to the starting rotation and is making his sixth start today. It hasn’t been pretty so far, as he’s given up six earned runs or more in three of his five starts.
The Padres have their ace on the mound. The White Sox have an inexperienced kid who’s been roughed up facing him. Anything can happen, but the Friars have the odds in their favor today. A win would secure the series win with one more game to go before heading back home for a homestand.
Start time: 4:10PM PDT
Radio: 94.9FM, 860AM (Español)
TV: Fox Sports San Diego
Online: MLB.TV