It was all about Jake Peavy.
"Peavy is their chance," host Karl Ravech said during a pregame edition of ESPN's "Baseball Tonight."
"If he doesn't win two games," Joe Morgan said during the first inning, "I don't think the Padres will win the series. And he's very capable of winning two games."
So much for that, although there certainly wasn't any way for Ravech, Morgan and the rest of the ESPNers working yesterday to know the Padres ace would have his worst start of the season ... and suffer a fractured rib.
There will be new announcers for tomorrow afternoon's Game 2 – Dave O'Brien, Patrick Henry High alum Eric Karros and Steve Phillips – and they will have a strong act to follow: Morgan and partner Jon Miller had a strong game.
Miller was particularly opinionated early:
On Ryan Klesko, "Really right now, the walk is the best part of his offense. That's why he's batting second."
After noting Mark Loretta's three home runs this season: "And he's in the No. 3 spot, which tells you something about this Padres lineup."
After Mark Sweeney failed to make a play at first base: "A top-quality first baseman would have made that play. Defense is not one of the strengths of the Padres."
Morgan's best moment came as Loretta batted in the third. With a full count, the runners broke from first and second and Morgan noted third baseman Abraham Nuñez was not leaving his position to cover third base. After three foul balls, Loretta smashed a grounder to Nuñez, who would have been out of position had he moved toward the base. Instead, he gloved the ball and started a double play that ended the inning.
Morgan later admitted the Cardinals received some breaks in their three-run third inning, but said St. Louis deserved credit for taking advantage. "The Cardinals, when they get you in trouble, they know how to finish you," he said. "The Padres have not been able to do that this year."
The only downside to the telecast came from the production crew, which failed to account for the starting pitchers and several times returned to live action either just as the next pitch was being delivered or after it already had reached home plate.
But there were several excellent replays, including one that proved umpire Bill Hohn had channeled the spirit of Don Denkinger and blown a call at first base.
Jay Posner: (619) 293-1834;
jay.posner@uniontrib.com
