Mat Latos’ pitching helps San Diego Padres overpower St. Louis Cardinals, 3-1 – MLB Update
San Diego Padres’ starter, Mat Latos was outstanding with the ball as he threw eight solid innings and struck out seven batters in the Padres’ 3-1 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals at Petco Park, San Diego, on May 25.
The Padres won their first game of the three-game series. Latos pitched with an ERA of 4.08 and gave away just one run on six hits including one earned run. He did not allow a walk on his 94 pitches. Latos said of his game plan, “It was me making the adjustments
I needed to make. I'm a rear-back-and-throw-it and let-it-go kind of a guy. I have to go out there and get back to me.”
The Cardinals scored their single run during first inning and took a 1-0 lead when Lance Berkman singled to centre-field spot and Jon Jay posted one run. In the very next inning, the Padres also got off the mark and tied the game 1-all on the solo homer
(398 feet) of Brad Hawpe towards right-field position.
The pitchers from both sides displayed their abilities and did not permit even a single run from third to seventh inning. The Padres’ Manager Bud Black had a huge ovation for Latos. Speaking to reporters, he said, “That's how I visualize him throwing the
ball from the first pitch of the game until the last. He threw more four-seam fastballs. I think it makes all his pitches better.”
The Padres went ahead 3-1 by adding two runs in the eighth inning. Jason Bartlett scored a tie-breaking run on the drive of Chase Headley to deep left-field. Later in the inning, Headley moved to third base on the throwing error of the Cardinals’ short-stop
Tyler Greene. The second run was taken by Headley when Ryan Ludwick reached third base on an infield single.
Headley also praised Latos in his statement as he said, “I thought he looked hands down better than he's looked all year. He finally had his weapons available and was throwing strikes.”
On the other side, the Cardinals’ starter Chris Carpenter was little bit shaky as he allowed three runs on eight hits in eight inning pitches. He was able to strike out six batters and did not permit a walk on 105 pitches.
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