News
Young rides momentum into Phils opener
San Diego (7-3) at Philadelphia (4-4), 4:05 p.m. PT
By Corey Brock / MLB.com
04/17/09 12:43 AM ET
Considering that May has always been Chris Young's best month as a starting pitcher, you can be sure that the Padres don't mind at all that he's off to a fast start in the opening month of the regular season.Young, who takes the mound on Friday in the opening game of a four-game series against the Phillies, has a 2-0 record with a scant 1.38 ERA after two starts to open the season, having beaten the Dodgers and Giants.
Now he is charged with trying to beat Philadelphia, which he defeated last season in his only start against the team that went on to win the World Series.
The Padres certainly like their chances with Young on the mound against the Phillies -- and not just because he's 2-1 with a 1.96 ERA in four career appearances against them.
Young is coming off a strong outing on Sunday against the Giants in which he allowed no earned runs and four hits in seven innings. Better still, he didn't walk a single batter and recorded seven strikeouts.
"C.Y. gave us a great feel to that game early on, how he pitched very efficient," said manager Bud Black. "You need that against a guy like [Giants starter Tim] Lincecum. You know his history against us is such that I'm sure he has a lot of confidence."
Catcher Nick Hundley, who figures to be behind the plate for Young's start, never felt as though there was a moment that Young wasn't in total control against the Giants.
"Throwing strikes. Controlling both sides of the plate with his fastball throwing in and out," Hundley said of what made Young successful on Sunday. "Both sides of the plate with his slider and mixing in good offspeed pitches. Any time he does that and he's throwing strikes and getting early contact, he's in good shape."
Two seasons ago, when Young went 8-3 with a 2.00 ERA in the first half of the season to earn a spot on the National League All-Star team, he was just 2-2 with a 4.33 ERA. Now he has a chance to win his third game this month with at least two more starts after Friday's game.
For his career, Young is 11-14 with a 2.81 ERA in May. In April, he's 10-8 with a 3.73 ERA.
Pitching matchup
SD: RHP Chris Young (2-0, 1.38 ERA)
Young threw seven strong innings against the Giants in his last start. He retired the first 12 batters before giving up a single to Bengie Molina in the fifth inning. In his first start of the season, he retired nine of the first 11 batters he faced and struck out four in the first three innings. He had five strikeouts in that game, in which he pitched six innings, allowing five hits and two runs while walking two. He has shown that his Cactus League play didn't matter much, as he had a 12.96 ERA. He didn't get his second victory last season until his sixth start. PHI: LHP Cole Hamels (0-1, 17.18 ERA)
Hamels got off to a shaky start in his first game, giving up seven runs on 11 hits in 3 2/3 innings against the Rockies last week. He battled some arm problems in the spring and didn't pitch on Opening Day, but he has repeatedly insisted that he's fine. The MVP in the Phillies' World Series victory over the Rays last fall is looking to get back to that form. Tidbits
First-base coach Rick Renteria wasn't with the team on Thursday in New York and won't accompany the team to Philadelphia this weekend, as he's in Southern California to be with his father, who is undergoing a medical procedure. Hitting coach Jim Lefebvre coached first base in his place. ... Chad Gaudin, who signed with the Padres last Sunday, is with Triple-A Portland to build up his arm strength. He'll get his first start on Saturday in Portland and is scheduled to throw anywhere between 45 and 60 pitches, according to Black. ... Rookie shortstop Everth Cabrera got his second start of the season on Thursday. He had a single in his first at-bat during a five-run third inning. ... Adrian Gonzalez hit home runs in each of the first two games played at Citi Field. According to Elias, over the last 25 years, the only other players to hit home runs in each of the first two games at a new stadium are Vinny Castilla (Bank One Ballpark, now Chase Field, in Arizona) and Jason Kendall (Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati). On the Internet
MLB.TV
Gameday Audio• Gameday
• Official game notes On television
• 4 San Diego On radio
• XPRS 1090, XEMO 860 (Español) Up next
• Saturday: Padres (Shawn Hill, 1-0, 3.60) at Phillies (Brett Myers, 1-1, 5.54), 4:05 p.m. PT
• Sunday: Padres (TBD) at Phillies (Chan Ho Park, 0-0, 10.38), 10:35 a.m. PT
• Monday: Padres (Kevin Correia, 0-1, 4.09) at Phillies (Jamie Moyer, 1-1, 6.55), 4:05 p.m. PT
Corey Brock is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
