Two teams who tried new faces in new places Monday night meet again at the midpoint of a three-game series Tuesday when the San Diego Padres go for two consecutive over the host San Francisco Giants.
In a rare Reyes vs. Reyes matchup, the Padres’ Franmil Reyes smacked a two-run, go-ahead, pinch-hit home run off Giants reliever Reyes Moronta in the seventh inning of the series opener, sending San Diego to a 6-5 win.
For the second night in a row, the meeting of National League West rivals will feature a pitching rematch from the Padres’ 3-1 season-opening series win over the Giants in San Diego.
Joey Lucchesi, a Northern California native who will be making his first big-league start in the Bay Area, is scheduled to face Derek Holland in a duel of left-handers.
Lucchesi got the better of the pairing last time, throwing 5 1/3 shutout innings in a 4-1 win.
Ian Kinsler had one of the big San Diego hits in that one, a home run off Holland. It makes him a likely starter in the rematch. The question: Where?
The Padres unveiled their middle infield of the future Monday night when 21-year-old Luis Urias was promoted from Triple-A to start at second base, alongside 20-year-old shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr.
Urias went 0-for-5 in the game, while Tatis ignited a Padres comeback with a two-run home run off Madison Bumgarner in the fifth inning.
With the Padres set at the corners with Manny Machado and Eric Hosmer, it appears Kinsler will be the odd-man-out on most nights, as he was Monday.
The veteran did pinch hit in the ninth inning, drawing a walk.
Padres manager Andy Green noted before Monday’s game that he’s happy to have options with Kinsler, Urias and Tatis.
Meanwhile, Urias and Tatis were just happy to see each other.
“We’ve been waiting a long time. It’s great to have him here,” Tatis gushed to reporters before the game.
Added Urias, “It’s going to be fun playing with him.”
Lucchesi, who is from the Oakland suburb of Newark, has faced the Giants three times in his career, all in San Diego. He went 2-0 with a 2.20 ERA in those games, striking out 24 in 16 1/3 innings.
One Giant he didn’t face the first time around this season is first baseman Tyler Austin, a right-handed hitter who was acquired Monday from Minnesota.
Austin was thrown right into the action in the series opener, starting at first base while Brandon Belt was moved to left field.
The long-term plan is for Austin to play the outfield, but that’s a work in progress, Giants new general manager Farhan Zaidi explained to reporters before Monday’s game.
“In the short term, this kind of made the most sense,” he said of the decision to move Belt to left field. “(Austin) is going to be over there (at first) until he reaches some level of comfort with the outfield.”
Batting second, Austin contributed a leadoff single to a five-run Giants fourth inning. Shortly thereafter, he was pulled for defensive purposes, allowing Belt to move back to first base.
Holland has started seven times against the Padres in his career, going 1-3 with a 6.29 ERA.
Reyes, hero of Monday’s win off the bench, is another likely starter Tuesday. He’s gone 4-for-8 with a home run and four RBIs in his career against Holland.
