SAN DIEGO (AP) - Until Carlos Quentin drove a two-run, pinch-hit homer off the facade in left field, the San Diego Padres’ offense had been pedestrian against Travis Wood of the Chicago Cubs.
The Padres had only one baserunner in scoring position in the first seven innings, when Everth Cabrera reached on third baseman Luis Valbuena’s two-base throwing error and was eventually stranded at third.
The Cubs held on to beat the Padres 3-2.
Wood “had the low fastball with late life in the hitting area. He kept the ball down,” Padres manager Bud Black said. “He’s come on the scene the last couple of years and has established himself as a nice little left-handed pitcher. It’s a quick arm, a live fastball even though it comes in plus or minus around 90. It has some action in the hitting area down and it’s tough to dig it out.
“We had better swings as the game went on but he did a nice job.”
Wood came within five outs of pitching his first career shutout. Wood (5-4) hit an RBI single and Valbuena homered for the Cubs, who bounced back from an 11-1 loss Friday night.
Wood allowed two runs and three hits in 7 1-3 innings, struck out three and walked two.
Quentin, who missed the previous four games with a groin injury, hit an 86 mph slider an estimated 405 feet off the left-field facade with one out in the eighth to chase Wood. Quentin has five career pinch homers and two in one week. Yasmani Grandal was aboard on a one-out walk.
Valbuena extended his hitting streak to eight games when he drove an 88 mph fastball from Billy Buckner into the right field seats with one out in the sixth. It was his third. Nate Schierholtz doubled to right with two outs. The Padres intentionally walked Darwin Barney to get to Wood, who singled up the middle to drive in Schierholtz.
Valbuena also scored in the fourth, reaching on a walk, advancing on Welington Castillo’s single and coming in on Schierholtz’s base hit.
Hector Rondon pitched the ninth for his sixth save in seven chances.
Buckner (0-1) started in place of Andrew Cashner, who is on the disabled list with a sore right elbow. Buckner’s contract was purchased Saturday from Triple-A El Paso. He allowed three runs and six hits in 5 2-3 innings, struck out four and walked three.
“I did all right,” Buckner said. “I was able to settle into a rhythm early on, then I got myself into some trouble.”
It was his first start of the season.
“I was anxious when I got out there and started rushing a little bit. But I settled in and then at the end it got away from me,” he said.
NOTES: In a pregame ceremony, the Padres honored first responders involved in fighting last week’s wildfires. The players and coaches formed two lines in the outfield and greeted the first responders as they walked in from the warning track. … Cashner played long toss for the first time since going on the disabled list, retroactive to May 15. Cashner will throw again Sunday. … RHP Tim Stauffer pitched well enough in Friday’s win over the Cubs to earn another start. It will come on Wednesday at Arizona. … LHP Troy Patton, acquired from Baltimore in Saturday’s trade for C Nick Hundley, will complement LHP Alex Torres in the bullpen. He should arrive in San Diego on Sunday. … Cubs OF Justin Ruggiano could rejoin the team on the road trip; he’s been on the DL since April 24 with a strained hamstring. Ruggiano played consecutive games in Triple-A Iowa on Thursday and Friday. … Padres RHP Ian Kennedy (2-6, 3.79) faces Cubs RHP Jason Hammel (5-2, 2.91) in Sunday’s series finale.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.