Grit Index: McCarthy, D-backs beat Padres in series opener
Aug 27, 2013, 5:40 AM | Updated: 5:44 am
The Arizona Diamondbacks used a solid outing by starter Brandon McCarthy to help them beat the San Diego Padres 6-1 in the series opener and first game of this nine-game homestand.
McCarthy’s 16th start of the season was a vast improvement from his previous outing on Aug. 21 against the Reds. He allowed seven earned runs in only 2.1 innings of a 10-7 loss. On Monday night, he worked seven solid innings, giving up just one unearned run in the first inning, while striking out five and walking none.
The D-backs’ offense picked McCarthy up by scoring two runs in the fourth, two in the sixth and two in the seventh. The 1-2 hitters in the lineup, Tony Campana and Adam Eaton, set the table for Arizona. Campana finished the night 2-for-4 with a run scored and Eaton was 1-for-3 with two runs scored.
Martin Prado recorded a sacrifice fly in the fourth and stroked a two-run single in the sixth.
The D-backs chased Padres’ starter Tyson Ross from the game in the seventh inning en route to their 67th win of the season. Ross allowed six runs — four earned — on seven hits with six strikeouts and two walks in six innings of work.
The Good:
Prado’s white-hot August continued on Monday night with three RBI. He has now hit safely in 11 of his last 12 games, going 22-for-61 with a .361 average, three home runs and 19 RBI.
The Bad:
Catcher Miguel Montero went 0-for-4 with one strikeout in his return from the disabled list.
Noted:
– D-backs pitchers Brandon McCarthy and Eury De La Rosa combined to strike out nine and allowed zero walks in nine innings.
– McCarthy snapped a five-game losing streak and recorded his first win since May 24 against the Padres.
He Said It
“It actually stood out pretty quick and I don’t know why it hadn’t before,” McCarthy said about making adjustments for his start this week. “That Reds start was so bad it’s one that you have to internalize quickly and find out what’s going on. When I went looking for one issue it was definitely there.
I went back and looked through about the last year of footage and I noticed it was creeping in more and more and more, leading to a lot of unreliable pitches so we (he and pitching coach Charles Nagy) had to go and attack that this week.”
Up Next:
The Diamondbacks play game two of this three-game series on Tuesday night at Chase Field. Trevor Cahill was scheduled to start for Arizona but threw 4.0 innings on Saturday in relief during the 18-inning win at Philadelphia, so instead it will be lefty David Holmberg. He’s currently with Double-A Mobile and is 5-7 on the year with a 2.66 ERA. He has made 25 starts and has thrown 152.1 innings this season.
Former D-backs hurler Ian Kennedy will make the start for San Diego. Kennedy was acquired by the Padres on July 31. The right-hander will be making his fifth start for San Diego, but his first start against his former club. First pitch on Tuesday is slated for 6:40 p.m. and can be heard on Arizona Sports 620.
