Game Forty-Eight – Cubs (18-29) vs. Padres (22-28)
- Game Time – 3:10pm CDT
- Coverage – TV: WGN TV – Radio: 720 WGN, XM Radio Channels 188, 844
- Location – PETCO Park, San Diego
Jason Hammel (5-2, 2.91/0.90/3.21) vs. Ian Kennedy (2-6, 3.79/1.18/2.75)
The Cubs wrap up the four-game series in San Diego this afternoon with a shot to win the series. After excellent outings by Jake Arrieta on Thursday and Travis Wood on Saturday night, the Cubs have won two of the first three games.
Jason Hammel is scheduled to start today’s game after the comebacker off the bat of Brett Gardner in his last start almost cut his outing short. Hammel said he thought his hand exploded when he was first hit but he stayed in the game as his hand swelled up as the night progressed. Hammel reported to Wrigley, late, the next morning with his hand bandaged. X-rays were negative and revealed a deep bone bruise, but that was all. John Baker will be behind the plate calling the shots for Hammel.
The Cubs will face a pitcher they reportedly had interest in last summer before San Diego acquired him from the Diamondbacks for Joe Thatcher and Matt Stites at the trade deadline. Ian Kennedy is off to a decent start in San Diego and the Cubs must not allow him to get comfortable this afternoon. If they do and he finds a rhythm, it will be another frustrating day for the offense and a long trip to San Francisco after the game.
Right handers (.271/.316/.365) hit better against Ian Kennedy than lefties (.220/.268/.364), but the lefty-righty splits have been rather even throughout his career.
This afternoon all begins with Jason Hammel …
Jason Hammel dealt with the rain, a comebacker on the second pitch of the night, the hype of the Yankees being at Wrigley Field and outpitched Masahiro Tanaka the last time out. Hammel settled in nicely after it looked like he would be leaving the game after only two pitches. Brett Gardner hit a shot back up the middle that hit Hammel in his pitching hand. After throwing a warm-up pitch to the backstop, Hammel was able to refocus and he ended up pitching 5 2/3 innings. Hammel held the Yankees to one run on four hits with one walk and six strikeouts.
After a rough outing in St. Louis, Hammel is 1-1 in his last four starts with a 4.13 ERA and a 1.21 WHIP and he will face the Padres for the 13th time in his career today.
Jason Hammel is 4-2 in 12 games, 11 career starts, against the Friars with a 5.03 ERA and a 1.49 WHIP. Hammel last faced San Diego in 2011 while in a Rockies uniform and he went 1-1 in two starts with a 5.68 ERA and a 1.34 WHIP. For his career, Hammel is 3-0 in four starts at PETCO Park with a 2.92 ERA and a 1.26 WHIP.
Padres Career Numbers against Jason Hammel
Ian Kennedy has really struggled in three of his last four starts and is coming off a loss in San Diego to the Twins. Kennedy began the season on a positive note with a 2-3 record in six starts with a 3.16 ERA and a 0.95 WHIP. Kennedy struck out 37 batters in 37 innings while allowing 27 hits with eight walks. Kennedy is 0-3 in his last four starts with a 4.74 ERA and a 1.54 WHIP. But his last two games really have not been good.
After giving up five runs on 11 hits with a walk and four strikeouts in six innings to the Reds, Kennedy gave up four runs on six hits in 6 2/3 innings with two walks and six strikeouts. Kennedy makes his ninth career start against the Cubs today.
Ian Kennedy is 3-2 in eight career starts against the Cubs with a 6.33 ERA and a 1.34 WHIP. Last year, he was 1-0 in two starts against the Cubs with a 4.50 ERA and a 1.00 WHIP (10 runs, six earned, on nine hits with three walks and 14 strikeouts in 12 innings) … and both of those starts came when Kennedy was still in the Diamondbacks rotation.
Cubs Career Numbers against Ian Kennedy
Let’s Talk Cubs Baseball …