OGP: August 27
San Diego Padres (54-74) @ Atlanta Braves (66-60)
Clayton Richard (7-3, 4.42) vs. Javier Vazquez (10-9, 3.14)
7:10 pm EDT
The Braves come into this game having lost back-to-back contests for the first time in more than 3 sweeps. They attempt to stave off a sweep at the hands of the lowly Padres and gain some ground in the playoff chase. Atlanta won 13 of 18 from August 4 to August 23 to pull within 4 games of the Rockies in the NL Wild Card race, but has slipped by a game and a half in the standings since then. The Padres haven't swept a 3-game road series yet this season, and are 21-40 in road games on the year. Still, they have won 7 of their last 11 contests, averaging 6.4 runs per game while batting .325 as a team in that stretch. The Padres set a season high with 7 hits in an inning last night.
Clayton Richard has won 4 straight decisions, including his last start, when he hurled 6 scoreless innings against the Cardinals in a 4-0 game, allowing just 5 hits and striking out 6. In 5 starts with San Diego since coming over from the White Sox, Richard has gone 3-0 with a 3.67 mark. This will be Richard's first career matchup against Atlanta.
Javier Vazquez went 5-0 with a 2.59 ERA in a span of 7 starts between early July and early August, with the Braves winning each contest. Since then, though, he has allowed 4 runs in an outing to the Phillies, and 5 runs on a season-high 10 hits in 6 and 2/3 innings to the Marlins to lose a 5-3 game in his last start. On August 4, Vazquez held the Padres to 2 runs on 4 hits to win a 9-2 game. He is now 4-4 with a 3.19 mark in 16 lifetime starts against San Diego.
Third baseman Chipper Jones is 1-for-32 with 9 strikeouts in his last 10 games. First baseman Adam LaRoche is the only Atlanta batter that has faced Richard, and has struck out twice in 3 at-bats against him.
Fun fact: The 12 runs the Braves allowed last night marked the first time in 2 months that the team allowed double-digit runs to their opponents.
Clayton Richard (7-3, 4.42) vs. Javier Vazquez (10-9, 3.14)
7:10 pm EDT
The Braves come into this game having lost back-to-back contests for the first time in more than 3 sweeps. They attempt to stave off a sweep at the hands of the lowly Padres and gain some ground in the playoff chase. Atlanta won 13 of 18 from August 4 to August 23 to pull within 4 games of the Rockies in the NL Wild Card race, but has slipped by a game and a half in the standings since then. The Padres haven't swept a 3-game road series yet this season, and are 21-40 in road games on the year. Still, they have won 7 of their last 11 contests, averaging 6.4 runs per game while batting .325 as a team in that stretch. The Padres set a season high with 7 hits in an inning last night.
Clayton Richard has won 4 straight decisions, including his last start, when he hurled 6 scoreless innings against the Cardinals in a 4-0 game, allowing just 5 hits and striking out 6. In 5 starts with San Diego since coming over from the White Sox, Richard has gone 3-0 with a 3.67 mark. This will be Richard's first career matchup against Atlanta.
Javier Vazquez went 5-0 with a 2.59 ERA in a span of 7 starts between early July and early August, with the Braves winning each contest. Since then, though, he has allowed 4 runs in an outing to the Phillies, and 5 runs on a season-high 10 hits in 6 and 2/3 innings to the Marlins to lose a 5-3 game in his last start. On August 4, Vazquez held the Padres to 2 runs on 4 hits to win a 9-2 game. He is now 4-4 with a 3.19 mark in 16 lifetime starts against San Diego.
Third baseman Chipper Jones is 1-for-32 with 9 strikeouts in his last 10 games. First baseman Adam LaRoche is the only Atlanta batter that has faced Richard, and has struck out twice in 3 at-bats against him.
Fun fact: The 12 runs the Braves allowed last night marked the first time in 2 months that the team allowed double-digit runs to their opponents.