Washington Nationals vs San Diego Padres MLB Live Streamed 5/10 Online Baseball Coverage Internet tv Ticket Power Ranking Experts Review: No team needs a power boost more than the San Diego Padres, who entered their four-game set with the Washington Nationals last in the majors in extra-base hits and without a homer in five games.
Top prospect Anthony Rizzo delivered a triple in his major league debut, part of the sort of offensive performance San Diego hopes to see more of Friday night as it tries to continue its home dominance of the Nationals.
Spacious Petco Park certainly has something to do with San Diego (29-35) owning an NL-low 36 homers and a major league-low 134 extra-base hits, but the lack of a consistent big bat after the offseason trade of Adrian Gonzalez might be a bigger reason than any.
On Thursday, however, the Padres welcomed a player they hope can become a power-hitting cornerstone for the next decade. Rizzo, obtained for Gonzalez from Boston in the offseason, tripled off the center field fence in his debut, nearly giving San Diego another homer to match Headley's first-inning blast in a 7-3 victory over Washington.
"He looked as though he belonged on the field," manager Bud Black said of Rizzo, who also walked twice. "From the time the game started, he looked poised, looked composed, had some good at-bats, knocked the heck out of one.
"Just the overall swings, just the at-bats, he looked in control of his game."
The Nationals (27-36) certainly don't need anything else working against them in San Diego. The franchise has lost 23 of 29 road games against the Padres since 2002, including all seven series since Petco opened in 2004.
Washington went 1 for 8 with runners in scoring position Thursday, falling to 8 for 56 with 18 strikeouts in RBI situations over its last seven games.
"It was not a pretty game," manager Jim Riggleman said. "I don't know how to say it."
The Nationals try to stop their San Diego slump by turning to Jason Marquis (6-2, 3.84 ERA), who appeared to be on his way to his seventh victory Sunday in Arizona. However, after pitching 5 2/3 innings of three-hit ball, Marquis was ejected after drilling the Diamondbacks' Justin Upton with a pitch -- the fourth time Upton had been hit in the series.
Washington won 9-4 in 11 innings.
Riggleman was also tossed and suspended for a game, while Marquis was banned for five. He's currently appealing, which will allow him to face the Padres.
Marquis is 2-2 with a 3.18 ERA in five career starts at Petco. He'll want to pitch carefully to Brad Hawpe, however, considering the right fielder is 8 for 18 with a homer in their matchups.
Mat Latos (4-6, 3.94) takes the ball for San Diego looking for a fourth straight victory. The right-hander gave up three runs over 14 innings in victories over St. Louis and Atlanta to finish May, then held Houston to two runs over five innings in Sunday's 7-2 win.
He's got a good chance to stay hot versus Washington. Latos is 3-0 with a 1.93 ERA in three career starts against the Nationals, striking out 21 in 18 2/3 innings.
10:05 PM ET, June 10, 2011
Petco Park, San Diego, California
That drought ended Thursday -- but Chase Headley's two-run blast wasn't the biggest reason the Padres were excited.Regular Season Series
San Diego leads 3-1 (as of Fri 6/10)
Fri 5/27 @WSH 2, SD 1 Recap
Sat 5/28 SD 2, @WSH 1 Recap
Sun 5/29 SD 5, @WSH 4 Recap
Thu 6/9 @SD 7, WSH 3 Recap
Jun 10, 2011 WSH (Marquis) @ SD (Latos) 10:05 PM ET
Jun 11, 2011 WSH (Lannan) @ SD (Richard) 8:35 PM ET
Jun 12, 2011 WSH (Zimmermann) @ SD (Stauffer) 4:05 PM ET
Top prospect Anthony Rizzo delivered a triple in his major league debut, part of the sort of offensive performance San Diego hopes to see more of Friday night as it tries to continue its home dominance of the Nationals.
Spacious Petco Park certainly has something to do with San Diego (29-35) owning an NL-low 36 homers and a major league-low 134 extra-base hits, but the lack of a consistent big bat after the offseason trade of Adrian Gonzalez might be a bigger reason than any.
On Thursday, however, the Padres welcomed a player they hope can become a power-hitting cornerstone for the next decade. Rizzo, obtained for Gonzalez from Boston in the offseason, tripled off the center field fence in his debut, nearly giving San Diego another homer to match Headley's first-inning blast in a 7-3 victory over Washington.
"He looked as though he belonged on the field," manager Bud Black said of Rizzo, who also walked twice. "From the time the game started, he looked poised, looked composed, had some good at-bats, knocked the heck out of one.
"Just the overall swings, just the at-bats, he looked in control of his game."
The Nationals (27-36) certainly don't need anything else working against them in San Diego. The franchise has lost 23 of 29 road games against the Padres since 2002, including all seven series since Petco opened in 2004.
Washington went 1 for 8 with runners in scoring position Thursday, falling to 8 for 56 with 18 strikeouts in RBI situations over its last seven games.
"It was not a pretty game," manager Jim Riggleman said. "I don't know how to say it."
The Nationals try to stop their San Diego slump by turning to Jason Marquis (6-2, 3.84 ERA), who appeared to be on his way to his seventh victory Sunday in Arizona. However, after pitching 5 2/3 innings of three-hit ball, Marquis was ejected after drilling the Diamondbacks' Justin Upton with a pitch -- the fourth time Upton had been hit in the series.
Washington won 9-4 in 11 innings.
Riggleman was also tossed and suspended for a game, while Marquis was banned for five. He's currently appealing, which will allow him to face the Padres.
Marquis is 2-2 with a 3.18 ERA in five career starts at Petco. He'll want to pitch carefully to Brad Hawpe, however, considering the right fielder is 8 for 18 with a homer in their matchups.
Mat Latos (4-6, 3.94) takes the ball for San Diego looking for a fourth straight victory. The right-hander gave up three runs over 14 innings in victories over St. Louis and Atlanta to finish May, then held Houston to two runs over five innings in Sunday's 7-2 win.
He's got a good chance to stay hot versus Washington. Latos is 3-0 with a 1.93 ERA in three career starts against the Nationals, striking out 21 in 18 2/3 innings.
