Games Notes @ STL (07.02) Ross Mans the Mound in St. Louis Series Opener
By Friar Wire
The Friars embarked on their final road-trip of the first half of the season this week, kicking off of an 11-day, 10-game road trip with the first of a four-game set against the Cardinals in St. Louis. The Padres (37–43) are hoping to enter into the All-Star break on a high note, and they can take the first step in the right direction with a victory over the Cardinals (51–26) on Thursday.
Taking the mound for the Padres in tonight’s series opener will be RHP Tyson Ross (5–7, 3.57 ERA). Ross, who has gone 2–0 with a 1.80 ERA in his last two starts, will face off against LHP Tim Cooney (0–0, 11.57 ERA) and a Cardinals team that currently leads the Majors with 51 victories through 77 games this season.
Here’s a look at some of the highlights from today’s game notes to get you ready for Thursday’s opener:
- National Stage Tonight — Tonight’s game between the Padres and Cardinals will air on MLB Network’s Thursday Night Showcase with Hall of Fame award-winning broadcaster Tim McCarver and Bob Costas doing the play-by-play in the booth tonight. This will be the first broadcast with both Costas and McCarver in the booth together since calling NBC’s Game of the Week in 1980, almost 35 years ago.
- No Homers Club — Tonight’s starter for the Padres, Tyson Ross, has allowed just three home runs in 89.2 IP, giving him a 0.30 HR per nine innings ration, which currently stands as the second-best rate in Major League Baseball and the National League entering play tonight. Ross trails only A.J. Burnett, who has a 0.27 HR/9.0 IP ratio. Ross has been so effective in keeping the ball in the yard in fact that he has not allowed a single home run in his last 10 starts and 66.0 innings pitched, with his last home run allowed coming off the bat of Evan Gattis of the Houston Astros on April 28th of this season. Ross’ current strak of 10-straight starts without allowing a home run is the longest streak by a Major League starting pitcher this season and the longest by a Padres starter since 2007, back when both Jake Peavy and Chris Young each went 12-straight starts without allowing a homer.
- Mr. Alons-Road — First baseman Yonder Alonso is hitting .372/.469/.457 with five doubles, one home run, and 13 RBI in 27 road games this season, giving him the third-best batting average, second-best on-base percentage and 15th-best OPS of any Major League with at least 100 plate appearances as a visitor. Alonso has now ready base safely in 11 consecutive starts on the road since June 8th, hitting .300 (12-f0r-40) in that time. Dating back to July 26th of last season, Alonso has reached base safely in 30 of his last 31 starts on the road, hitting .400 during that time.
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