NLCS: Mike Clevinger and Padres Are Overwhelmed in Philadelphia
The San Diego Padres are down two outs with two out and no runs, and their defense has just been atrocious. It’s the middle of the game, the Padres are down by a pair, and their bullpen has allowed 10 hits. Mike Clevinger hits, one of those hits is for a home run, and the Padres have scored three runs. It’s game 1 of back-to-back games, and the team trailing is up 2-0.
That’s a lot of hits, and a lot of runs, for the Padres. When it’s their bats beating, they play the best baseball. And right now, they are doing an outstanding job of it.
But even on the same pitch, the same swing, and in the same at-bat, the Padres have struggled to stop that offense, and they have done so in a way that is surprising. Through 10 innings he has been absolutely dominant, and not just because he’s allowed one run. He has also walked four, and has not allowed a home run. So far, he has been absolutely devastating. And now the Padres have faced the worst lineup in baseball, and they have been absolutely crushing.
But that has happened at exactly the right time. At exactly the right game. And right when you are in the biggest hole, just when you are down two runs, just when you are down two out and they’re scoring nine runs in a row, you hit, and it happens. And Mike Clevinger is the key, and he has played his role.
Mike Clevinger has been absolutely destroying at Petco Park. He has walked four, and he has not allowed a home run. He has allowed only two hits through nine innings, and while he is certainly not a great pitch-to-contact pitcher, right now he is doing something else that the guy who has played his way onto our list has not done, and that is playing his best when down, where the offense is scoring and giving the other guy everything.
It is very rare to see a pitcher play his best pitching when he is up. That is not to say that