San Francisco @ San Diego preview
Petco Park
Last Meeting ( Apr 19, 2010 ) San Francisco 2, San Diego 3
Any time Jonathan Sanchez takes the mound against San Diego, the first thing to come to mind will always be the same – that unlikely no-hitter the San Francisco Giants lefty hurled against the Padres last July.
Only Juan Uribe’s error kept Sanchez from pitching a perfect game as he struck out 11 hitters and paralyzed the Padres’ hitting attack.
Sanchez and the Padres meet again Tuesday in the second game of a three-game series in San Diego. The Padres have posted four consecutive victories, including a 3-2 decision in 10 innings over the Giants on Monday.
Sanchez will look to end San Diego’s winning streak in his second outing against the Padres since his dominant outing that accounted for the Giants’ first no-hitter in 33 years. Prior to Sanchez, John “The Count” Montefusco held the honor by no-hitting the Atlanta Braves in 1976.
Sanchez's no-hitter against the Padres was unlikely because he entered the midseason game with a 2-8 record and a 5.30 earned-run average. He had almost been demoted from the starting rotation and two of those eight losses were to the Padres.
But everything clicked for him on that memorable night. Sanchez retired the first 22 hitters before Uribe, playing third base, was unable to field Chase Headley’s grounder that went for an error.
Sanchez got a confidence boost from his gem and ended the season with an 8-12 record to go with a 4.24 ERA. Opposing hitters batted just .221 against him.
Sanchez displayed the same type of dominating form in his most recent start, tying his career-best for strikeouts with 11 and allowing just three hits in eight scoreless innings against the Pittsburgh Pirates on April 14.
It was a vast improvement from his first start of the season when Sanchez lasted just 4 1/3 innings against Atlanta. Sanchez struck out six, but allowed three runs and seven hits while getting a no-decision.
In 12 1/3 innings this season, Sanchez has an impressive 17 strikeouts against just five walks.
Promising Mat Latos will oppose Sanchez. Latos has a 5.91 ERA in two starts this season.
He received a no-decision in his first start against the Colorado Rockies and took the loss against Atlanta on April 15.
San Francisco’s offense has suddenly gone quiet with just three runs in the past two games. Two of the runs have come on solo homers by Uribe.
Prior to the drought, the Giants scored 43 runs over a six-game span.
San Francisco is playing without center fielder Aaron Rowand (fractured cheek). Left fielder Mark DeRosa (hamstring) pinch-hit during Monday’s game and could return to the starting lineup before the series with the Padres ends on Wednesday.
San Diego won the opener in dramatic and unlikely fashion – on a walkoff homer by singles hitter David Eckstein.