Framing the Friars: Hosmer Homers, Lauer Efficient in Padres Win
Credit: AP Photo
Monterrey, Mexico
Eric Lauer earned the first major league victory of his young career, pitching six shutout innings in a Padres win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on May 6. The win clinched the Mexico Series for the Padres.
Eric Hosmer homered for the second straight game. He hit a two-run shot in the fifth inning. He had a two-run home run the day before, as well. Hosmer has been playing at a high level over his last eight games, hitting .393/.508/1.000 over that span.
Lauer earned his first major league victory in his third outing. In his last start, on April 30, Lauer was in line for the win. The bullpen blew the lead in the ninth inning, and the Giants stole the victory away from Lauer.
Lauer gave up three runs in five innings in that start at San Francisco. Against the Dodgers in Monterrey, he pitched six shutout innings. He allowed just one walk and scattered seven hits over those six innings. He had seven strikeouts.
Lauer flirted with danger in his six innings. He allowed runners to reach scoring position in four of those. Alex Verdugo reached third base with two outs in the top of the second. Lauer got Ross Stripling to ground out to end the inning, and Verdugo was left stranded at third.
Matt Kemp, who has bullied the Padres with his bat this season, hit a two-out double in the first. He singled in the third, and reached first on an error later in the game. Kemp is hitting .611 against the team that traded him to Atlanta two seasons ago.
The game stayed scoreless until the bottom of the fifth. Hosmer hit his fifth home run of the season, and his second one in two days. With one out and Travis Jankowski at first base, Hosmer swung at a 3-1 pitch from Tony Cingrani. The ball landed in the 10th row behind center field, and San Diego led 2-0.
¡CUIDADO! @TheRealHos305 did it again ?#MexicoSeries | #VamosPadres ?? pic.twitter.com/aTgms9Vf2A
— San Diego Padres (@Padres) May 6, 2018
Jankowski scored his second run of the game in the bottom of the seventh. He scored on Franchy Cordero’s RBI-single. The score was 3-0.
Craig Stammen, Kirby Yates, and Brad Hand each pitched a scoreless inning after Lauer’s exit to get him his first victory. Hand earned his ninth save of the season.
The Padres return to Petco Park for a three-game series against the Washington Nationals, starting on May 7.
The first game is scheduled to begin at 7:10 PDT.
Mike is the sports editor for the Fayette Advertiser, and has been with East Village Times since 2015. His work has appeared on Bleacher Report. He is an avid Padres fan who is keeping the faith and trusting the process.