Framing the Friars: Lamet Looks Like Lamet, but Offense a No-Show (again)

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Credit: AP Photo

 

The San Diego Padres have scored only five runs in 28 innings. The offense has been absolutely stagnant.

Compared to the Padres’ lack of scoring, their opponents have done the opposite. On Sep. 12, the Minnesota Twins went off for 16 runs against the Friars, winning the game 16-0.

The offense remained stagnant when the Padres played the Twins again on Sept. 8. Dinelson Lamet made the start, pitching well enough to deserve the win, but instead settled for a no-decision. Minnesota won the game 3-1 in 10 innings.

The Padres’ lone run came in the form of a home run hit by Austin Hedges.

With the count at 1-0, Hedges took a pitch from Minnesota reliever Trevor Hildenberger, and turned it into a towering fly ball that went over the wall in left center.

 

The home run traveled 380 feet, with a 33-degree launch angle. It traveled at 99 mph. It was Hedges’ 17th home run of the season, and his first since Aug. 22 (15 games).

The Padres had chances to score. Wil Myers led off the top of the top of the second with a line drive that traveled along the left field line. Due to fan interference, the hit was ruled a ground-rule double.

Myers eventually made it to third, but wasn’t able to get across the plate. Jabari Blash hit a line out to center field to end the inning. This was with runners at second and third.

Hector Sanchez led off the ninth inning with a single. Jose Pirela was tabbed as a pinch-runner for Sanchez. He was caught stealing second. Right after he was tagged out, Cory Spangenberg hit a single to right field. Had Pirela been safe at second on his steal attempt, he likely would have scored the go-ahead run.

Lamet pitched six solid innings. He allowed one earned run on five hits over six innings, bringing his ERA down to 4.15. He struck out five hitters, and induced five ground ball outs. His menacing slider was a problem for the Twins. It happens to a lot of teams.

The Twins scored that run in the bottom of the second inning, when Eddie Rosario scored from third base on a wild pitch.

Lamet now has pitched 104 innings on the season, and has 128 strikeouts. Ten of his 18 appearances this season have been quality starts.

Lamet pitched well enough to deserve a win in tonight’s game. He held the Twins to just one run, one night after Minnesota scored 16 off Padres pitchers.

San Diego lost three of four games against the Twins. The two teams played two games at Petco Park Aug. 2-3, splitting the series. The Padres are 8-19 in interleague play this season.

Interleague games are done for the 2017 season. The Friars have only 16 games left on their schedule, with all of them being division games.

Next up, San Diego travels to Coors Field, where they play a three-game series against the Colorado Rockies, Sep. 15-17.

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