This was the third bullpen game for San Diego this season, all since left-hander Joey Lucchesi went down with a right hip strain.
”These guys are all built to kind of grind through a lineup one time or cruise through a lineup or attack a lineup one time through,” Padres manager Andy Green said. ”They’re all built for nine batters pretty easily or 10 batters so it just makes sense to give them those types of pieces of a lineup for a first time through and keep hitters uncomfortable. I like it.”
Padres reliever Matt Strahm started the bullpen game and retired nine batters on 36 pitches, including four strikeouts. Adam Cimber (3-2) retired the next six with two strikeouts before Harrison Bader broke up the perfect game with an infield single in the sixth. Bader was promptly erased in a double play.
”In that situation, I know on a bullpen day, me coming in the fourth inning I’m probably looked at to get at least a few (innings),” Cimber said. ”You still take it one hitter at a time.”
Strahm, a lefty, and Cimber, a submarine righty, make a stark contrast for opposing hitters.
”It’s the opposite end of the spectrum,” Strahm said. ”He’s down on the right and I’m up on the left. It’s a good combo to come in.”
The Padres’ nine-man bullpen makes the starter-by-committee approach effective. Green said he plans to go with it again Sunday.
”We’ve got seven arms available http://www.giantsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-nate-solder-jersey ,” Green said. ”I’m going to guess that’s more arms available than almost every team in major league baseball, so it’s not putting the stress on our bullpen that a lot of people presume it is.”
Brad Hand pitched the ninth for his 20th save.
Hosmer drove the first pitch of the fourth inning to center field to give the Padres a 1-0 lead. It was his second home run in three games.
A.J. Ellis tacked on two more with a two-out hit in the fourth. The Cardinals challenged the safe call on the second run, but replay showed the Freddy Galvis beat catcher Yadier Molina’s tag at home plate.
”Basically the first strike you see you want to be aggressive,” Ellis said. ”I found a pitch to find a hole on.”
Cardinals starter Miles Mikolas (7-2) struck out five in six innings and walked none. He has walked one or less in all seven of his home starts this season, but St. Louis still lost for the second time in three games.
”I felt like my stuff was pretty good today,” Mikolas said. ”I made some pretty good pitches. I think the ball Hosmer hit was a decent pitch.”
Marcell Ozuna’s RBI single snapped the Padres’ shutout bid in the seventh. Ozuna has driven in five runs in his last four games.
”I thought our offense did a pretty good job of getting some things rolling toward the end of the game,” Bader said. ”Just today, it just showed up a little too late.”
TRAINING ROOM
Padres: OF Franchy Cordero (right forearm strain) took batting practice and hopes to begin a rehab in a couple of days.
Cardinals: RHP Matt Bowman (right hand blisters) gave up a run in two innings Monday at Triple-A Memphis and could be activated by the end of the week.
UP NEXT
Cardinals RHP Luke Weaver (3-5, 4.35 ERA) will get the start in the series finale against the Padres and LHP Eric Lauer (2-4, 6.64 ERA) on Wednesday at 7:15 CDT. Weaver has not allowed a run in 12 innings (two career starts) against San Diego. Lauer gave up six runs in 2 1/3 innings against St. Louis on May 11.
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Detroit Lions coach Matt Patricia walked briskly onto a field for his first NFL training camp in charge with a black cap, black pullover and black shorts while a yellow pencil was nestled over his right ear.
And, he didn’t waste any time sending messages on Friday.
Patricia pulled aside safety Tavon Wilson Cheap Malik Jefferson Jersey , one of many former New England Patriots now in the Motor City, to say a few words early in practice.
Wilson, knowing Patricia expects everyone to always hustle, listened to what Patricia had to say and then sprinted to rejoin his teammates on another field.
After speaking briefly with team president Rod Wood, the new coach tried to connect with as many players as possible as they stretched out and warmed up. He chatted with some, slapped hands with others and simply tapped helmets as he roamed with a bounce in his step and a smile on his face.
During drills, Patricia spent time with many of the position groups to evaluate quietly or teach with words and gestures.
While Patricia tried to sound businesslike in his news conference before practice, it was clear how fired up he was even before his white sneakers hit the green grass.
”When you walk out on the field again, the painted lines, the fresh cut grass, all of that sort of atmosphere around it, it’s exciting Cheap Josh Sweat Jersey ,” he said. ”If you have been in this game a long time, it takes you back years to when whether you were playing or first started coaching or even just a little kid running around.”
The Lions have been around .500 in recent years, winning nine games in each of the past two years after averaging nine wins over the previous two seasons.
That was not enough for Jim Caldwell to keep his job with the franchise for a fifth season.
The Lions fired Caldwell and hired Patricia shortly after last season, hoping some of what he learned as one of Bill Belichick’s top assistants will rub off on a team with one playoff victory in 60-plus years.
Even though Detroit made only subtle roster changes , linebacker Jarrad Davis said the major move made on the sideline may make an impact.
”It can be a huge difference,” Davis said. ”The way he came in, honestly, just set the tone right away. You know, he came in, he laid down the law. He gave us the rules and he came in with energy. … He came in, made it clear, gave us the expectations. And now we have something we can chase.”
Even though Patricia has not ever led an NFL team, a veteran coach who gave him a pivotal opportunity many years ago believes he is ready.
Detroit defensive coordinator Paul Pasqualoni, who hired Patricia as a graduate assistant at Syracuse in 2001, said he knew he would be working for a high-energy, bright coach when he accepted the offer. What he didn’t know was how detail-oriented Patricia would be as a head coach.
Patricia has a detailed planned for everything, Pasqualoni said, including the team’s hydration and nutrition plan.
”Until you work with him there’s no way of knowing that,” Pasqualoni said.
NOTES: The Lions put LB Devon Kennard and DE Cornelius Washington on the non-football injury list. … DE Ezekiel Ansah is on the physically unable to perform list.