Framing the Friars: Padres Do Not Survive Shark Attack
San Diego is famous for fish tacos, but it’s no secret that the San Diego Padres have enjoyed feasting on “Shark” this season.
“Shark” is the nickname for San Francisco Giants pitcher, Jeff Samardzija. He’s had a rough 2017 season, and his performances against the Padres have been downright dismal.
Samardzija had made three starts against the Friars before Aug. 28. In those three starts, he allowed 14 runs over 17.1 innings. accumulating a 7.37 ERA.
That was not the case on Monday night. Samardzija came off a successful start against Milwaukee on Aug. 22, where he allowed just one earned run over six innings.
Against the Padres, Samardzija went the distance, shutting out the Friars, and needing 101 pitches to get it done. It was a rare bright spot for a Giants team that has played far below expectations all season.
Samardzija kept Padres hitters off-keel the whole game, striking out five and allowing only three hits. Starting opposite of Jhoulys Chacin, Samardzija went to work quickly, retiring eight of the first nine hitters he faced. He got Carlos Asuaje and Jose Pirela to both strike out swinging in the first inning. Wil Myers was the only person to reach base that first time through. He hit a ground ball that was corralled by Brandon Crawford, who wasn’t able to make a throw to first base. This happened in the bottom of the second inning.
The second time through the lineup, Samardzija was going at the same pace. He retired eight of the nine hitters in the lineup. He gave up a single to Yangervis Solarte, who hit an infield single to second baseman Joe Panik in the bottom of the fifth inning.
In Samardzija’s third and final time through the Padres’ lineup, he struck out two more hitters, and, again, gave up a single to a hitter. He allowed Cory Spangenberg to hit a single to right field in the bottom of the eighth inning.
In all, Samardzija induced seven fly outs and 14 groundouts to go along with this five strikeouts. In the second inning, Myers was caught stealing second.
The Padres are 9-5 and had won three of their last four against their rivals from Northern California before their game on August 28.
The Friars will look to get back to their winning ways over the Giants in the second game of this three-game series, played on Aug. 29. Luis Perdomo will square off with Matt Moore.
The game begins at 710 p.m. 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.