This Padres team is showing some gumption. Tyler Chatwood held the team hitless through five, but the Padres kept at it and blew the game open in the sixth. These kids keep finding ways to win, and it seems like most of it is being done by way of the longball. Today they will face Antonio Senzatela, a young pitcher off to a great start who pounds the zone.
Jered Weaver will be Senzatela’s foe in tonight’s matchup. Wanna hear a wacky stat? Of the 15 earned runs that he’s been responsible for this year, 14 HAVE COME BY WAY OF A HOMER!! That’s just bananas. He hasn’t been “lights out”, but if he could just keep the dang ball in the park, his stat sheets would look completely different. His mistakes have been up and over the middle of the plate, and when a ball that’s supposed to be breaking instead flutters over the middle of the zone, it gets hit hard. These Rockies have plenty of guys who know how to hit a ball very far, so it’s important for Weaver to stay down and nibble the edges today.
Antonio Senzatela’s rookie campaign is off to a very nice start. Through five starts he’s 4-1 with a 2.81 ERA, and three of those starts have come at home in the thin Denver air. He’s not a strikeout wizard, but he doesn’t walk many, and he’s been efficient enough to go a full seven innings in three of his starts. His approach is simple: pound the zone with fastballs, throw enough sliders to keep the batter off balance, and finish with a changeup when an “out” pitch is needed. His fastball has considerable life, being described as “heavy” and with good east-west movement, and he has commanded it well this year. The Padres faced him in Colorado back on April 11th, falling to the Rockies 3-2. Manuel Margot led the game off with a home run, and Wil Myers hit him hard each time he came to the plate. The rest of the offense has warmed up since then, and maybe they have a better book on him now than last month. It’s not uncommon for a pitcher to tear through the league the first time they see him. With a relatively simple repertoire, the Padres hitters should have a much better idea of who they’re facing tonight.
The Padres are having some fun playing the “spoiler” to their NL West rivals. Tanking or not, it’s always great to see our guys beat our division foes. The Rockies have been off to a great start, but a win tonight would secure a series win for the Padres and open the chance for a sweep. Let’s beat those Rox and keep the good times rolling!
Start time: 7:10PM PDT
Radio: 94.9FM, 860AM (Español)
TV: Fox Sports San Diego, Fox Deportes San Diego, MLB Network
Online: MLB.TV