The Padres just played four games in three days in abnormally warm temperatures (for San Diego) against the best team in baseball (the Dodgers), winning three of them (in a row).
At the end of a long season that kind of physical expenditure is probably going to take a toll. Of course, running in to an All-Star pitcher doesn't help, either, and the Padres looked a little bit gassed in a 2-0 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals on Labor Day afternoon.
Former Cardinals farmhand Luis Perdomo got the start for the Friars and threw pretty well. The only runs he gave up came in the 4th inning. The Cardinals loaded the bases with nobody out and Yadier Molina hit a fly ball to the gap in left-centerfield. Jose Pirela got to it but the ball glanced off his glove. Two runs scored on what was called a base hit.
Perdomo only allowed those two runs and struck out six in 6.0 innings to take the tough loss because Cardinals ace Carlos Martinez has filthy stuff. As an example, he whiffed four guys in the All-Star Game in July. The only other Cardinals pitcher to ever do that was Dizzy Dean back in 1934, and the Cards have had some awfully darn good pitchers in between.
Martinez tossed a complete game with 10 strikeouts, only allowing three hits. Padres 1st baseman Wil Myers had two of them for his 3rd straight multi-hit game.
The Padres try to even the series on Tuesday night when Travis Wood takes the mound against Michael Wacha.
