Padres at Astros
After a miserable seven-game homestand to begin the season, the San Diego Padres had no problem walking into the home of the defending World Series champions and ending their five-game winning streak. The Padres attempt to build on their most complete performance of the young season Saturday when they continue their three-game road set against the Houston Astros.
Four San Diego pitchers combined on a four-hitter and the offense pounded out a season-high 13 hits en route to a 4-1 victory Friday in Houston - a huge boost for a team which tied a dubious club record by losing six of its first seven games and hasn't cleared 30 road wins in either of the past two seasons. Four Padres finished with at least two hits, as Jose Pirela went 3-for-4 and delivered a tiebreaking two-run double in the fifth inning, while Eric Hosmer, Christian Villanueva and Freddy Galvis contributed two hits apiece. The Astros managed only four singles and scored their lone run on a sacrifice fly after piling up 18 runs and 28 hits in a three-game sweep of the Baltimore Orioles in their previous series. Houston's pitching has been on point for the most part, however, as the rotation has posted a 2.35 ERA and the staff as a whole has registered a league-high 83 strikeouts through eight games.
TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, MLB Network, FS San Diego, AT&T Sportsnet - Southwest (Houston)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Padres RH Bryan Mitchell (0-1, 9.00 ERA) vs. Astros RH Gerrit Cole (1-0, 1.29)
Mitchell lasted five innings in Monday's loss to the Colorado Rockies but was largely ineffective, surrendering five runs on eight hits and three walks while failing to record a strikeout. The 26-year-old North Carolina native appeared to turn a corner in his development by posting a 3.25 ERA in 14 games with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in 2017, but he has yet to find any kind of success in the big leagues. Mitchell has allowed one run in two career relief appearances spanning 4 1/3 innings versus the Astros.
Cole gave up a solo homer in the first inning Sunday and permitted only one more hit and three walks over his last six frames against the Texas Rangers, fanning 11 to get the win. The former No. 1 overall pick's strikeout total in his season debut was his best mark since registering 12 in his final turn of the 2014 campaign. Cole enjoyed great success as a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates in six career starts versus the Padres, going 4-2 with a 1.96 ERA with 43 strikeouts in 36 2/3 innings.
WALK-OFFS
1. Astros OF Josh Reddick owns a 15-game interleague hitting streak, the longest such active run in the majors.
2. Hosmer is batting .383 during his 11-game hitting streak at Minute Maid Park.
3. Despite the series-opening loss, Houston is 42-19 in interleague play since the start of the 2015 season.