Padres Report - September 3rd

Padres’ Minor League Report – September 3, 2006

If you told me before the game that Cinci starting pitcher Eric Milton held us to a single run in six innings, I would not have been surprised. Then, if you told me that Wells held Cinci to a single run in six innings, I would have predicted a victory. Well we outlasted their left-handed starter, Wells kept us in it, and we won. Nice.

Tomorrow we’ll welcome Colorado back to Petco Park, and this year, they’ve felt too welcome in our house. Time to treat them rudely. Luckily for us, the Rockies only have one left-handed started, Jeff Francis, scheduled against us. Lucky for them they don’t have to face Peavy or Wells.

Colorado is 10-6 against us on the season so far…

In the second half we’ve won the first game of a series four times. We’ve won each of those four series. Overall, we won the first game of a series 21 times. In those 21 series we won 17 of those series, lost 2 series, and tied two series. Let’s get this series off to a good start and get a win Monday night.

On to the report...

Hitters:

AAA – Ben Johnson --- 2-5; 2B (11), 2 RBI, 2 SO
AAA – Jon Knott --- 1-4; HR (32), R, 2 RBI, BB, SO
Hi-A – Sean Kazmir --- 1-7; HR (13), R, 4 RBI, 2 SO
Hi-A – Chase Headley --- 2-6; 2B (33), 2 R, RBI, BB, 2 SO
Hi-A – Tim Brown --- 1-2; 2B (37), 2 R, 3 RBI, BB, SO
Lo-A – Seth Johnston --- 4-5; 2B (33), 2 R
Lo-A – Daryl Jones --- 3-5; 2B (22), R, 2 RBI, 2 SO
SS – Jeremy Hunt --- 2-4; 2 HR (2), 2 R, 3 RBI

Pitchers:

AA – Jose Oyervidez --- 5.1 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 5 BB, 4 SO, 1 HR
Lo-A – Nathenial Culp --- 5.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 SO, 0 HR

Commentary:

Jeremy Hunt isn’t a top prospect… In fact at best he’s a lower level prospect with a chance to be a bench guy. He’s 22 now and will turn 23 in December. A 2006 draftee, Hunter started his professional career in Rookie-ball with the AZL Padres and hit .323/.423/.500 with 8 2B, 3 3B, and 5 HR to go with a 2B/37 BB/SO ratio.

In the 8th inning in a game against playoff race competitor, Hi-A Lake Elsinore 1B Tim Brown walked and later scored to tie the game. Then in the 11th, Brown came up to bat with the sacks full. He hit a bases-clearing double. After the bases reloaded, Sean Kazmir hit a grand slam. If you’re scoring at home (get a life!) that is 7 runs in the deciding 11th inning. Storm win.