(SportsNetwork.com) – Brandon McCarthy makes his Los Angeles Dodgers debut on
Wednesday when they finish up a three-game series with the San Diego Padres at
Dodger Stadium.
McCarthy, who inked a 4-year, $48 million deal this winter, is coming off the
first 200-inning season of his career. After posting a 3-10 record with a 5.01
ERA in 18 starts with Arizona, he was traded in early July to the New York
Yankees and went 7-5 with a 2.89 ERA over 14 outings.
His 5.30 strikeout-to-walk ratio was also ninth among all major league
starters.
San Diego, meanwhile, will turn to righty Andrew Cashner, who has his sights
set on making 30 starts and topping 200 innings for the first time in his
career. Injuries limited him to 19 appearances last season, as he went 5-7,
despite a fantastic 2.55 ERA over 123 1/3 innings.
Cashner pitched to a 1.89 ERA in three starts against the Dodgers in 2014,
including a win at Dodger Stadium on Sept. 9 when he allowed two runs in seven
innings.
San Diego picked up its first win of the season on Tuesday, as it scored four
times in the ninth inning and won, 7-3.
With the score tied in the ninth, the Padres went on top against Chris Hatcher
(0-1). Clint Barmes singled and Cory Spangenberg reached base when his
sacrifice bunt was misplayed by Yasmani Grandal. Wil Myers then singled home
the go-ahead run, and Derek Norris followed with a double down the left-field
line. A single from Will Middlebrooks three batters later made it a four run
game.
Norris had a pair of hits, scored twice and drove in two runs while Yonder
Alonso was 3-for-5 with an RBI and a run scored for the Padres, who bounced
back from Monday’s loss in the opener.
Joaquin Benoit (1-0) picked up the win for pitching the eighth inning.
Craig Kimbrel, who the Padres acquired from the Braves on Sunday, made his
debut with his new team in the ninth and struck out the side to end the game.
“He threw well. No doubt about it,” Padres manager Bud Black said of Kimbrel.
“This guy is an impact player. He looked good.”
Adrian Gonzalez repeated his Opening Day performance with another single,
double and home run for the Dodgers.
Still, San Diego has lost 11 of the last 17 meetings with Los Angeles.
