HEADLINE

Padres visit Giants, look to gain ground in wild-card race

Field Level Media

September 15, 2021 at 11:59 am.

Right-hander Joe Musgrove will attempt to show his appreciation for the teammates who showed what they think of him when he and the tail-spinning San Diego Padres look to end the host San Francisco Giants’ nine-game winning streak on Wednesday night.

In between 9-1 and 6-1 losses to the National League West-leading Giants (95-50) on Monday and Tuesday, the Padres announced they had voted Musgrove as their nominee for the 2021 Roberto Clemente Award.

The annual award has become Major League Baseball’s way of recognizing the player who best represents the sport through his contributions to both the team and the community.

A big-leaguer who focuses much of his off-the-field attention toward youth baseball, Musgrove labeled the Padres’ nomination as “one of the highest honors I’ve gotten in my life.”

“I always had that desire to do a little more than just be good at baseball,” he said. “To be recognized for it, it feels really good. It is exciting to win (the nomination) and be amongst the group of people that have won it in the past.”

Musgrove (10-9, 2.93 ERA) also has played a role in San Diego (74-70) remaining in the NL wild-card race. Despite a season-worst five-game losing streak, the Padres will take the field Wednesday one game behind the St. Louis Cardinals (75-69) and a half-game back of the Cincinnati Reds (75-70) in the three-team chase for the NL’s final playoff spot.

The 28-year-old right-hander is coming off a 3-0 loss to Los Angeles Dodgers last Friday in which he allowed all three runs in six innings.

Musgrove started a pair of 7-1 losses to the Giants in a seven-day span in May, allowing 10 runs (nine earned) in 10 innings. He gave up a three-run home run to Mike Tauchman in first outing, then a three-run blast to Brandon Crawford in the rematch.

He’s gone 1-3 with a 5.14 ERA in five career starts against the Giants.

When he next faces Crawford, it will be a matchup of Clemente Award nominees. The Giants announced before Tuesday’s win that their star shortstop was their choice to enter the final balloting for the honor.

Crawford then went out and contributed an RBI single to Tuesday’s win.

The Giants scored at least six runs for a ninth straight game, but manager Gabe Kapler saved his greatest appreciation for the effort of starting pitcher Anthony DeSclafani, who worked 6 2/3 innings one night after a bullpen game and one day before another.

“He was able to go deep into the game, which puts us in good position for (Wednesday),” Kapler said. “Right now our three healthy and productive regular starters are doing everything they can to keep the bullpen fresh and strong and giving us a chance to be in good shape for these bullpen games.”

Dominic Leone (3-3, 1.41) will make his fourth start for the Giants — and his second this series. He started Monday night’s victory and threw two scoreless innings. In 11 career appearances against San Diego, he is 0-1 with an 8.10 ERA and a save.

The Giants lead the Dodgers (93-53) by 2 1/2 games atop the NL West. As San Francisco had done the night before, Los Angeles clinched a playoff berth with a win Tuesday over the Arizona Diamondbacks.