News
Correia to start on three days' rest
San Diego (27-31) at Los Angeles (40-20), 7:10 p.m. PT
By Rhett Bollinger / MLB.com
06/10/09 2:25 AM ET
LOS ANGELES -- With Chad Gaudin's scheduled start getting pushed back to Thursday after throwing two innings on Sunday in the Padres' 18-inning marathon with the D-backs, manager Bud Black decided he'll start Kevin Correia on Wednesday against the Dodgers. Correia will be pitching on just three days' rest as the right-hander started on Saturday against Arizona, picking up the win after allowing two runs over six innings. But Black said Correia will be able to handle the start because he'd previously been a reliever most of his career before this season. "I think he has a good head on his shoulders for this type of thing," Black said. "He's pitched in relief, he's started." Correia said Tuesday that his arm "feels fine" after throwing 83 pitches on Sunday and that he's enjoyed exclusively starting this season. "This is more of a routine than I've been in the past over my career," said Correia, who has allowed three runs or fewer in eight of his 11 starts this year. "I've been a bullpen starter so I've been used to it. But now I've been going just about every five days so I'm comfortable with it." Black also said that he thinks that days of rest for pitchers is something that gets blown out of proportion these days. "I think in [media] coverage a lot is made over three days' rest, four days', five days' rest, four and a half days' rest, guys pitching in day games before a night game," said Black, who pitched in the Majors for 15 seasons. "I think all that's overplayed. But that's just me. He'll be fine. It comes down to making pitches." Correia has pitched well against the Dodgers over his career as he is 3-1 with a 4.65 ERA in 20 appearances against Los Angeles. Correia, who pitched for the Giants for six seasons before joining the Padres this year, said he always enjoys facing the Dodgers and that he sees the team as a rival. "I think everybody in this division sees the Dodgers as their rival," Correia said. "It just works out that way. I played with an another team in this division and the Dodgers were our rival too. I think with the organization L.A. has with its past and history, it makes them a rival. And especially because they're one of the best teams in baseball this year." Pitching matchupSD: RHP Kevin Correia (2-4, 5.13 ERA)
Correia dug the Padres into an 0-2 hole in the first inning against the Diamondbacks in his last start, but his teammates rallied for six runs in the sixth inning to earn the win at PETCO Park. Correia recovered from his early struggles by pitching five scoreless innings, finishing with four strikeouts and one walk. "I didn't let those two runs make me feel like I was beat," Correia said. "I knew our offense would come through, and we did with the big runs in the sixth." Correia has allowed three or fewer runs in eight of his 11 starts this season. LAD: LHP Clayton Kershaw (3-4, 4.26 ERA)
Kershaw cruised through the first three innings against the Phillies, but then ran into trouble after unsuccessfully trying to leg out a double in the bottom of the third. He allowed a run in the fourth after a double by Chase Utley and then was taken out in the sixth inning when he allowed an RBI double to Raul Ibanez after allowing a single and a walk. In all, Kershaw allowed two runs on four hits over 5 1/3 innings while striking out five and walking three. The left-hander is 2-0 with a 2.70 ERA in five career starts against the Padres. Tidbits
The Padres outrighted catcher Jose Lobaton to Triple-A Portland on Monday, trimming the 40-man roster to 39. Lobaton has played the entire season at Portland, batting .200 with two home runs and four RBIs in 26 games. ... When the Padres led off Tuesday's game with three consecutive hits off Dodgers starter Chad Billingsley on Tuesday, it marked the first time this season that San Diego led off a game with three straight hits. ... Shortstop Luis Rodriguez, who has been on the disabled list since May 14 because of a sprained left ankle, is expected to rejoin the Padres this weekend, according to Black. Tickets
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• XPRS 1090, XEMO 860 (Español) Up next
• Thursday: Off-day
• Friday: Padres (Chad Gaudin, 2-4, 5.01) at Angels (Kelvim Escobar, 0-1, 3.60), 7:05 p.m. PT
• Saturday: Padres (Jake Peavy, 6-6, 3.97) at Angels (Joe Saunders, 6-4, 3.94), 6:05 p.m. PT
Rhett Bollinger is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
