Roy Oswalt helps Phillies shutout the Padres for easy win – Major League Baseball
The Philadelphia Phillies won 2-0 against the San Diego Padres in confidence building match-up on April 23, 2011.
Previously the Philadelphia Phillies had barely avoided a three game sweep by the Milwaukee Brewers and suffered their first series defeat at their hands. This time however they didn’t want to lose against the San Diego Padres, and Roy Oswalt helped them
do exactly that.
The Padres have already been shut out in nineteen games which are the most in Major League Baseball. The Phil’s have previously won eight consecutive games and twelve games out of the thirteen played at Petco Park. Currently they are tied to be the League
leader with four shutouts.
Three relievers along with Oswalt produced a four hitter. Ben Francisco and Brian Schneider hit homeruns for their team. In the duration of six innings, Oswalt only let one hit pass him by which was Chris Denorfia’s single towards the right side of the field
in the fifth inning. He struck out seven players and walked two. Jason Bartlett was the only base runner who managed to reach the second base against him.
Jorge Cantu was perhaps the only player who attempted to give Oswalt some trouble. Out of the fourteen pitches thrown towards him Cantu fouled off eight consecutive pitches along with two fouls. "He's always been a pretty tough out for me," Oswalt said.
"I made some pretty good pitches and he kept fouling them off, fouling them off. I thought about coming up with a new pitch. Actually the last pitch I struck him out on, I did. I usually throw a slider one way and I actually threw it a different way. It worked."
Jose Contreras came out to pitch in the ninth innings. He had his fifth save in an equal number of chances. The batting average of San Diego through the match was .222 which was the lowest out of all the teams in the Major League.
On one side Roy Oswalt won his tenth straight decision, whereas Diego’s Mat Latos lost his eight consecutive start since September last year. In the sixteen and two-third innings he has pitched, Latos has already allowed five home runs.
Oswalt along with ace Roy Holladay and pitcher par excellence, Cliff Lee, make one of the greatest pitching line ups in all of Major League Baseball history. Except for a few slips against the Brewers, the Phillies exceptionally flawless bullpen has played
a major part in helping them win most of their matches.
Francisco hit a home run in the centre of the field whereas Schneider homered towards the right centre of the field. The third run was added to the scoreboard after Francisco’s fly ball with all the bases loaded. He was awarded a sacrifice fly even though
Denorfia had dropped the ball for an error.
The next game of the series will be played in San Diego on the 24th of April.
Tags: