Giants overcoming hurdles vs. Padres
With a pair of key players sidelined, the Giants weren’t exactly jubilant yesterday. Yet they banded together and eked out a critical 2-1 win over the Padres.
The two National League West foes meet again this evening, with a 10:40 p.m. ET first pitch at Petco Park. Online sports book Bovada.lv anticipates a similar result, giving Bruce Bochy’s gang odds of -143 to improve to 82-72. San Diego, on the other hand, represents a +133 underdog. The over/under run total rests at 8.5.
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Missing Johnny Cueto and Brandon Crawford at present, San Francisco’s operating at a severe disadvantage. Last night’s triumph, however, allowed the squad to stay tied with the Mets for the top wild-card spot in the NL. Jeff Samardzija was sensational on the mound, twirling seven shutout innings and fanning nine batters.
Can Albert Suarez (3-4, 4.16 ERA) do likewise in a few hours? At the very least, Bochy needs the righty to post another solid outing. Suarez has worked precisely five frames in each of his first four starts in September. He’ll face Andy Green’s team for the second time in as many weeks.
Meanwhile, the host Padres send Edwin Jackson (4-6, 6.00) to the bump. The veteran is 3-4 with a 1.59 WHIP since Aug. 3. Most recently, the Rockies tagged him for eight runs on 10 base knocks and two walks in 4 1/3 innings.
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Wounded or not, the Giants understand what’s at stake here. Expect Suarez to have a short leash, even though Bochy’s bullpen leaves a lot to be desired. We’ll ride with San Francisco to snag its 42nd victory on the road.
FRIDAY MLB FREE PICK: GIANTS -1.5