Padres seek to sweep Giants as Luis Arraez closes in on franchise record

Luis Arraez will continue his pursuit of one of the legendary Tony Gwynn's team records when the San Diego Padres attempt to close a three-game sweep over the host San Francisco Giants on Sunday afternoon.

Arraez had three- and two-hit games on the first two nights of the series, during which the Padres have out-hit the Giants 29-9 en route to 5-0 and 8-0 wins.

The victories, coupled with Los Angeles Dodgers' losses to the Atlanta Braves, have allowed the second-place Padres (84-65) to pull within 3 1/2 games of the Dodgers (87-61) in the battle for first place in the National League West. The division's top two teams still have a three-game, head-to-head series remaining in the final week of the regular season in Los Angeles.

By then, Arraez could hold the Padres' franchise record for consecutive plate appearances without a strikeout. He extended his 29-game run to 135 plate appearances by putting the ball in play four times Friday and then six times Saturday. He also drew a walk in the series opener.

He has not struck out since Aug. 10 against the Miami Marlins, his former team.

Arraez sits just 35 plate appearances behind Gwynn, who set the Padres' franchise record of 170 during the 1995 season. The major league record is held by Dave Cash at 223, set while a member of the Philadelphia Phillies in 1976.

Arraez has been one strike away from seeing the streak disappear nine different times in the Giants series. He once fouled off three pitches and another time two before putting the next pitch in play.

He has put the first pitch in play just once.

"I always take the first pitch, because I trust myself," Arraez said. "It doesn't matter for me if I have two strikes. I just want to see some pitches."

His two-strike ability is borderline amazing, Padres manager Mike Shildt said.

"He gets down 0-and-2, and it's like he has the pitcher right where he wants him. It's a weird thing," Shildt said. "He can hit virtually anything. If a pitcher feels like he wants to expand, go ahead. He has the amazing ability to hit the ball where it's pitched."

The first man with a chance to end Arraez's streak Sunday will be San Francisco right-hander Landen Roupp (0-1, 3.44 ERA), who has never faced the Padres' leadofff man.

Roupp, a 26-year-old rookie, faced the Padres three times in relief in the Giants' opening week of the season, giving up two hits in a total of three scoreless innings. But Arraez had yet to be traded to San Diego.

After 19 relief appearances to start his career, Roupp made his first big-league start Tuesday in a 3-2 home loss to the Milwaukee Brewers. He took the loss after limiting the Brewers to two runs in five innings.

Giants manager Bob Melvin hopes his defense gives Roupp better support than it's provided pitchers so far in the series.

"Unacceptable. It's the big leagues. Looks like Instructional League at times," Melvin observed. "When you're not in position on relays, it looks really bad at the big-league level."

The Padres will send left-hander Martin Perez (4-5, 4.46 ERA) in pursuit of the series sweep. He has gone unbeaten (2-0) with a 2.84 ERA in seven starts since being acquired from the Pittsburgh Pirates at the trade deadline.

Perez faced the Giants (72-77) twice earlier this season for the Pirates, getting a pair of no-decisions in 4-3 and 7-6 wins. He held the Giants to two earned runs over 10 1/3 innings in those games.

The 33-year-old is 1-1 with a 2.66 ERA in four career starts against San Francisco.

-Field Level Media