Roy Oswalt’s eight strike-outs help Philadelphia Phillies beat San Diego Padres 3-0 - MLB Update
Roy Oswalt marshalled the Philadelphia Phillies, as the Club defeated their league rivals, San Diego Padres by 3-0 in the first outing of the four-game series at Petco Park on Thursday April 21.
Oswalt started brilliantly and sent the opposition into early pressure. Sluggers Ben Francisco and Brian Schneider provided a dream start tossing one home run each off the Padres’ starter Mat Latos. Ben made another run in the third, this time on an RBI
single that took the lead to 3-0 that remained unbeaten.
Roy dominated the proceedings, allowing just one hit over six innings that came when Chris Denorfia chipped to right for a single in the fifth inning. The only slugger who reached second base against Oswalt was Jason Bartlett, who touched a lead-off walk
in first inning and then stole a second. Oswalt pitched six innings, allowed two walks and made seven strike-outs to earn his third win of the season.
One batter was tough for Oswalt to strike-out. Jorge Cantu faced Oswalt’s fourteen pitches and touched eight straight for a foul with two strike-outs. However, Oswalt took him on his last pitch tossing a different slider.
"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."
The three Phillies’ relievers provided massive backup to Oswalt with their scoreless innings. David Herndon, Antonio Bastardo and Jose Contreras allowed one hit and one walk each to confirm the twelfth success for the Club in the Major League Baseball season.
The Padres’ relievers expressed the same type of determination and did not consume further runs, instead receiving a three-run deficit. Cory Luebke relieved starter Mat Latos in the fifth and made two straight strike-outs. Luebke then pitched one inning
and allowed just one hit. Closer Pat Neshek and Chad Qualls followed the same path set by Luebke and tossed scoreless innings.
The Phillies’ runs came off Latos, who lost his third straight outing. Latos had a different view about failures. "I see what everyone else sees. I think I'm around the plate," Latos said. "If you are around the plate, you're going to get hit."
The Padres could achieve this small lead, but the struggling batting line-up again failed. With .222 batting averages, the Padres are on the lowest spot in the Majors League’s this season.
Tags: