Padres 2007 - Games 31-40

After 30 games, my Padres are 16-14, and in 3rd place in the NL West, but only two games behind the Dodgers.

Game 31, Sunday, May 6, SD at Florida: Pads win 3-1. Another gem by Jake Peavy (now 4-1) - 1 unearned run in 7 innings, 10 K's, dominates. Meredith and Trevor Hoffman (save #8) finished them off. The Pads scored 3 runs against the Fish - good enough for Jake. After 31 games: Won 17, Lost 14 (home 8-6, away 9-8), Runs 139 - 121. Won 4 of 5.

Game 32, Monday, May 7, SD at Atlanta: Pads win 4-2. Chris Young pitched well - 2 hits over 6 innings, 8 K's (now 4-2). Adrian Gonzalez homered in the 2nd off James, and the Pads scratched 3 more off James and the relievers. Bell, Linebrink and Hoffman (Save #9) closed it out. After 32 games: Won 18, Lost 14 (home 8-6, Away 10-8), Runs 143-123. Won 5 of 6.

Game 33, Tuesday, May 8, SD at Atlanta: Braves win 3-2. A well pitched game. Newcomer Justin Germano went 6 innings for the Pads, giving up 1 run on 3 hits. Heath Bell gave up 2 runs in the 8th for the loss. The Pads managed only 3 hits, including homers by Sledge and Cameron. This was a winnable game. After 33 games: Won 18, Lost 15 (home 8-6, away 10-9), Runs 145-126. Won 5 of 7.

Game 34, Wednesday, May 9, SD at Atlanta: Braves win 3-2. Another well-pitched game - Maddux vs. Smoltz. Smoltz won, but Maddux went 5+ innings, gave up only 1 run, and was ahead when he left. In a replay of the night before, Cla Meredith gave up 2 runs in the 7th to take the loss. Gonzalez and Blum homered. Another winnable game - bullpen failure. After 34 games:
Won 18, Lost 16 (home 8-6, away 10-10), Runs 147-129, Lost 2 straight, 5-5 in last 10.

Game 35, Thursday, May 10, SD at Atlanta: Braves win 5-3. Tim Hudson outpitched David Wells. Wells went 5+ innings, giving up 5 runs (now 1-2). Brian Giles misplayed a fly ball that led to 3 runs. The Pads got 11 hits, but only 3 runs, and no walks. A winnable game - defensive and starting pitcher failures. After 35 games: Won 18, Lost 17 (8-6 at home, 10-11 away), Runs 150-134, Lost 3 straight, 5-5 in last 10.

Game 36, Friday, May 11, St. Louis at SD: Pads win 7-0. Jake Peavy (now 5-1) dominates again, 7 innings, 3 hits, 10 Ks. Branyan had 2 homers (4 RBI), Greene had a homer (2 RBI). Kevin Cameron pitched 2 hitless innings in relief - still has an ERA of 0.00. Why don't they use him more? After 36 games: Won 19, Lost 17 (9-6 home, 10-11 away), Runs 157-134, Won 1, 6-4 in last 10.

Game 37, Saturday, May 12, St. Louis at SD, Cards win 5-0. Braden Looper went 7 innings, gave up only 3 hits with 7 Ks. Chris Young started and lost (now 4-3) for the Pads. He had some bad luck in the 3rd inning - Sledge dropped a fly for an error, then dove for and missed a bases-loaded clearing double. The Pads bats died tonight. After 37 games: Won 19, Lost 18 (home 9-7, away 10-11), Runs 157-139, Lost 1, 5-5 in last 10.

Game 38, Sunday, May 13, St. Louis at SD: Pads win 3-0. Justin Germano went 7 innings, gave up only 3 hits, a great effort (now 1-0). Linebrink and Hoffman (Save #10) closed it out. The Pads scored 2 in the first off Anthony Reyes, and got another in the 5th. Brian Giles made a nice running catch at the RF scoreboard screen in the 1st inning. After 38 games: Won 20, Lost 18 (home 10-7, away 10-11), Runs 160-139, Won 1, 5-5 in last 10.

Game 39, Monday, May 14, Cincinnati at SD: Pads win 7-1. We were there. Greg Maddux was perfect through 16 batters, and pitched a complete game, giving up a run on 5 hits with no walks in 2 hours, 8 minutes. The Pads scored 3 in the first and never looked back. Cameron, Bard and Kouzmanoff had 2 hits each. After 39 games: Won 21, Lost 18 (home 11-7, away 10-11), Runs 167-140, Won 2, 6-4 in last 10.

Game 40, Tuesday, May 15, Cincinnati at SD: Reds win 2-1 in 12 innings. David Wells pitched well - one run in 8 innings. The bullpen did OK until Heath Bell gave up a homer to Ken Griffey in the 12th. Aaron Harang handcuffed the Padres, giving up only 2 hits in 9 innings. The Pads offense was two doubles (Cameron and Blum) and scored the run in the 8th on a balk. 5-5 in last 10 games.

After 40 games:
Won 21, Lost 19 (home 11-8, away 10/11).
Runs 168-142.
Homers 34-19.
Team batting average 0.236, opponents 0.225
Team ERA 3.16, opponents 3.74

All 10 of these games had decent to excellent starting pitching, but the relievers gave up runs and took the loss in 3 of the 5 losses.