Pirates can’t get Karstens a W in hometown debut

 

Jeff Karstens made his first career start in his home town of San Diego last night, unfortunately the Bucs couldn’t pull together enough runs to get Karstens the win he deserved. Jeff piched six innings, gave up three hits, two runs, struck out three batters and walked one. He threw 85 pitches, and retired his last 12 in a row. (The last hit given up was way back in the second inning by LeBlanc)

The Pirates have scored only 14 runs in the 45 1/3 innings Karstens has been on the mound this season.

“There are always a couple guys that it happens to, but it’s going to make me better, I believe,” Karstens said, giving the negative stat a 180-degree flip. “It’s helping my confidence knowing that even when games are like that, I know that I can pitch and keep my team in the ballgame.” 

“We’ll come around. It’s just a matter of maturing and finding ourselves and finding who you are as a person. I think that’s what I’ve found this year. Last year, I was so worried about results and all this other stuff. This year, I said I was just going to be myself and whatever happens, happens.” 

“It’s baseball,” he began. “It’s very humbling. It’s a little bit of a roller coaster ride this year. I think I’ve had some moments where I’ve shown some good stuff and I’ve had some moments where I look like last year, where it wasn’t so great.”

 

The long ball hurt the Pirates, Ryan Ludwick hit two on the night, his first and second as a Padre.

“I’m a firm believer in attacking pitches in your zone, and they both were in the area where I was looking,” said Ludwick, plenty familiar with Pirates pitching from his days in St. Louis. “I was fortunate to get them.”

 

LeBlanc pitched 5.2 innings giving up five hits, just one run, stuck out eight pirates and walked two. He threw 106 pitches, 66 for strikes and is now 6-10 on the season. The Padres bullpen were their normal dominant self giving up just two hits through 3.1 innings and stuck out three. Heath Bell picked up his 32nd save on the season.

  

 Pirates lose 4-1.

 

 

Other News and Notes:

• Andrew Lambo has been on fire since being traded from the Dodgers. Hitting .406 at AA Altoona. 3-4 RBI, BB last night.
• John Bowker hitting .500 (12-24) for AAA Indy since he was traded from the Giants. He also hit his first Home Run last night since being a part of the Pirates organization.
• Nationals Pitcher, Drew Storen tweeted and shared an adorable picture yesterday.

@DrewStoren:Little compare and contrast. Shot from today rocking Expos Hat for BP vs. shot from me as an Expo’s bat boy.

 

 @DrewStoren: In honor of Expos Night.

• Alex Presley 2-for-4, 2 RBI, 2 R, (.317 AVG) 
• John Bowker 3-for-3, HR, 3 RBI
• Rudy Owens 5IP, 2H, 0ER, 3K, 2BB (ND)
• Zack Von Rosenberg 5IP, 8H, 2ER, 2K, 0BB (L 1-6)
• The Pirates drop to 13-43 on the road this season and are now 0-4 against the Padres.
• Padres- All about the Pitching (This season) Entering Tues.

                                                                     MLB Rank

Record 64-46                                                 3rd

ERA 3.28                                                      1st

Strikeouts/9IP 7.93                                         2nd

Walks/9IP 3.15                                              3rd

XBH Allowed/Game 2.36                                 1st

Opp Avg. .235                                                1st

Ground Ball Pct 59.1                                      5th

• Padres Bullpen (This season) entering Tues.

                                                                  MLB Ranks

ERA 2.77                                                    1st

Opp Avg. .211                                              1st

Holds 71                                                      1st

Strikeouts/9IP  9.8                                        1st

Walks/9IP  2.6                                             1st

Inherited Runners  20.2%                              1st

• Ronny Cedeno hit his 20th double of the season last night.
• Run Support Average (Lowest in MLB) Entering Tues.

Roy Oswalt 2.48

Ted Lilly 2.63

Jeff Karstens 2.77

Wade LeBlanc 3.22

Johan Santana 3.28

–Minimum 100 IP

 

• RHP Steven Jackson has cleared waivers and accepted his assignment with Triple-A Indianapolis.
• Andy LaRoche second career start at first base last night; his first at that position since June 11, 2008 at San Diego (when he was a Dodger)

He spoke to FSN on Pre-Game on making his first start at first base since 2008:

Andy LaRoche: “It’s going to be interesting. Only career start at first base was here in San Diego, first game in 08. Hopefully it will pick up where I left off that day. As long as I stay relaxed out there I think I will be okay. Knowing where to go on certain plays, holding runners on, but as far as catching the ball and flipping it to the pitcher that shouldn’t be too much of a problem. I’m probally going to be thinking the whole game about if I’m in the right spot, and I’ll always be looking at the dugout to make sure I’m in the right spot.”  

• Highest Batting Average by a Pirates Rookie:

2001- Craig Wilson .310

2006- Ronny Paulino .310

2010- Jose Tabata .306

2010- Neil Walker .303

1996- Jason Kendall .300

• The Pirates’ record on the year is now 39-73, just nine losses shy of clinching the 18th consecutive losing season.
• Pedro Alvarez hit in the clean-up spot for the first time in his Major League Career. He went 1-for-3 against SD with a RBI and a walk.

 

 

 

Today’s Pitching Matchup:

James McDonald 1-0 0.00 ERA

VS

Kevin Correia 8-7, 4.81 ERA

McDonald is coming off an outstanding debut as a Bucco. He pitched six shutout innings, struck out a career-high eight batters, which included six of seven in a row.

Correia in his last outing against the Dodgers, pitched 5.2 innings, gave up four hits, no runs, one walk. In his last three starts, 17.2 innings,  Kevin has only managed to strike out four batters.

  

 

PETCO Park is easily one of my favorite ballparks. San Diego is just a very beautiful city in general. The stadium has open walk-ways, which give you a really cool beachy vibe. There are waterfalls at the entrance ways. It even has a sandbox in the outfield for the kids to play in during the game. You can also bring your blanket and watch the game from the outfield, they even have a huge TV you can see the game on as well. If you haven’t visted it before, I highly recommend it.

 

I haven’t been back to PETCO since 2008. I wish more of my friends loved baseball, I miss going on roadtrips to different stadiums.