ODDS ANALYSIS
Both the San Diego Padres and Texas Rangers are riding five-game losing streaks and they’ve gotten there taking very different paths. The Padres are having difficulty crossing home plate having scored just seven runs during their skid, plating two or fewer each time.
San Diego’s pitching is very good, just not good enough, and the under is 4-0-1 during that span. The team’s offensive struggles began even before the losing streak did with back-to-back shutout losses to Seattle at the start of the month. The Padres are averaging just 1.6 runs going 2-7 in their last nine with the under at 6-2-1. The Rangers plated 14 runs during their skid but allowed 44 with the over at 4-1 in that span. Texas is one of the better road teams in the AL but has struggled at home going 15-24 with all five losses during their slide coming at Globe Life Park.
PITCHING MATCHUP
Ian Kennedy (4-8, 4.84 ERA) was bitten by the long ball yet again in his last outing, surrendering a two-run homer at St. Louis in a 3-1 loss. Despite his overall iffy numbers, Kennedy has been substantially better on the road this season than at home. His ERA in seven road starts is 3.54, compared to a 6.18 ERA over eight outings at Petco Park. He’s allowed at least one home run in each of his last five starts and has given up more this season (18) in 80 innings that he did in 201 frames (16) last year.
Kennedy is just 2-3 since June 1, but he’s been a different – and more successful – pitcher, posting a 2.63 ERA in seven starts. Improved command of his fastball has allowed him to make better use of his secondary pitches.
Wandy Rodriguez (5-4, 4.23 ERA) is reportedly on the trading block with the Rangers due to get Martin Perez and Derek Holland back soon. Like the club, Rodriguez has struggled at home this season and is looking for his first win. He’s 0-4 with a 7.42 ERA in six starts in Arlington and has surrendered 13 earned runs over his last nine innings pitched there.
Rodriguez is 3-3 with a 5.53 ERA in seven career starts and one relief appearance versus the Padres, but is facing them for the first time since 2012.
QUOTE TO NOTE
“I think all of us have that responsibility, and I think they have the responsibility to each other to know that this happens in baseball. They’ve all been through this before. It’s unfortunate. We don’t want it to be happening right now. We have to reinforce in each other and reassure each other that we believe so we can move forward and start winning some ballgames.” – Padres’ interim manager Pat Murphy after a 5-2 loss Wednesday, their fifth straight
LIVE BETTING or SITUATIONAL BETTING
How much of the Padres’ current offensive slump falls on the hitters? And how much can be contributed to the pitchers they’re facing? Seven games into a 10-game road trip that takes them to the All-Star break, the Pads have a 2-5 record while batting .209 with 14 runs. The numbers aren’t even up to 2014’s Major League-low averages. But over those seven games the Padres have faced five of the National League’s lowest ERA’s in A.J. Burnett, Lance Lynn, Michael Wacha, Carlos Martinez and Francisco Liriano. The Padres lost for the fifth straight time Wednesday, falling 5-2 in Pittsburgh to fall a season-high nine games below .500 (39-48).
PROP TALK
Prince Fielder will get warmed up for next week’s Home Run Derby by teeing off on Padres righty Ian Kennedy, who has allowed the third-most homers in the NL this season. Despite missing most of April on the disabled list, Kennedy has been tagged for 18 home runs this season while surrendering at least one in each of his last five starts and 11 of his 15 outings overall. Fielder has 13 homers on the year in a nice comeback season, with one of his two lifetime hits off Kennedy leaving the yard.
ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
Something has to give in this one and it will be the Rangers and Wandy Rodriguez. San Diego hasn’t played poorly during its current slide and second baseman Jedd Gyorko claimed the team is playing its best baseball of the year. The results don’t back up that statement but the Padres have had the lead in all five games. Lack of hitting against great pitching from the two best staffs in baseball silenced their bats, but a trip to hitter-friendly Globe Life Park and facing Rodriguez brings the Padres’ sticks alive.
San Diego 7, Texas 3
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