Richard set to start as Padres eye a win in series finale
The Texas Rangers' list of injured players continues to mount as first baseman Ronald Guzman was placed in the seven-day concussion disabled list on Tuesday.
After seven days Guzman will need to pass another series of tests before being allowed to rejoin the team. He sustained the concussion in the sixth inning of Monday night's 7-4 victory over the San Diego Padres as he dove back to third base to beat a pickoff throw and was kneed in the head.
San Diego rallied with three runs in the eighth on RBI doubles by Wil Myers and Hunter Renfroe and a sacrifice fly by Christian Villanueva to beat the Rangers 3-2 on Tuesday and even the series at a game each.
The Padres will send left-hander Clayton Richard (7-6, 4.23 ERA) to the mound in the series finale Wednesday at Globe Life Park in Arlington, Texas, while Texas will counter with left-hander Mike Minor (5-4, 5.06).
"We want to make sure these guys are completely clear," Texas manager Jeff Banister said of Guzman's injury. "We want to make sure we pay attention to, be diligent about this and not mess around. We are in that time of the year moving into the All-Star break where guys have gone at it hard, the heat, we have a number of guys who are feeling the effects of playing."
Texas right fielder Nomar Mazara and left fielder Joey Gallo are both nursing hamstring injuries. Mazara left Monday's game with the injury and was relegated to designated hitter on Tuesday. Gallo played and went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts.
Going into Tuesday's game, San Diego was hoping to avoid extensive use of its bullpen after its relief corps was pushed in an extra-inning loss at San Francisco on Sunday and had to pick up the final four innings of Monday's setback in the series opener against Texas.
Three Padres relievers did the job in the victory Tuesday, with Matt Strahm (who got the win with a one-hit seventh), Kirby Yates (who struck out all three batters he faced) and Brad Hand (two hits in the ninth while earning his 22nd save of the year) coming through.
"When relievers are exposed or used a lot more, they're less successful than when they're fresh," San Diego reliever Craig Stammen said. "I know that's key for me . . . pitch us two days in a row, three days in a row, we get less effective. You just don't have as much on your fastball. You're not as strong. That's just a fact of pitching."
Richard will make his club-leading 17th start of the season in the series finale against the Rangers. Over his past nine starts, he is 6-2 with a 3.03 ERA.
Richard's nine straight starts of tossing at least six innings lead the majors for the longest such streak by a lefty after the Padres snapped Texas' Cole Hamel's streak of eight straight on Monday night.
Richard has won four consecutive decisions for just the second time in his career (also June 22, 2011-April 8, 2012).
Richard is 0-0 with a 4.40 ERA in six career appearances, including two starts, against Texas.
Minor will make his 15th start of the season. He has posted quality starts in each of his last three outings and is seeking four consecutive quality starts for the first time since he had six in a row, Aug 12-Sept. 8, 2014 with Atlanta.
Minor has gone 1-0 with a 2.84 ERA over his past three starts to lower his ERA from a season high 5.76 to 5.06. He will be working on regular four days' rest after earning the win in Rangers' 8-1 victory on Friday at Minnesota. He gave up one run on three hits over six innings in that game.
Minor is 1-3 with a 5.55 ERA in five games, four of them starts, against the Padres in his career. He will be making his first start against San Diego since Aug. 1, 2014.
