[size=+1]Padres Ace Hurt in Loss to Cardinals[/size]
By JIM SALTER ST. LOUIS - Jake Peavy picked a bad time for his worst start of the season, and an even worse time to get hurt. Peavy figured to be the San Diego Padres' best hope of upsetting the St. Louis Cardinals in the first round of the best-of-five playoffs. He led the NL in strikeouts, ranked among the league leaders in ERA and easily was the ace of a team that finished only 82-80.
None of that helped in his first career postseason game Tuesday. Peavy gave up eight runs, all earned, in 4 1-3 innings as the Cardinals built a big lead in Game 1 and held off San Diego 8-5.
Worse still, Peavy felt a pain near his rib cage in the third inning, and the pain worsened the rest of the way. X-rays at Busch Stadium showed no damage, but he was taken to Barnes-Jewish Hospital for an MRI exam.
"He felt something on his right side. It could be a rib _ we're just going to get him looked at and make sure he's OK," Padres manager Bruce Bochy said.
Padres spokesman Luis Garcia said Peavy is listed as day-to-day, and his availability for the rest of the series is uncertain.
The injury could explain Peavy's struggles in his final three innings.
Jim Edmonds hit a solo home run with one out in the first, and the Cardinals bunched three hits, two intentional walks and a wild pitch to score three more runs in the third.
The end for Peavy came in the fifth, when singles by Edmonds and Albert Pujols and a walk to Larry Walker loaded the bases for Reggie Sanders. Swinging on a 3-0 pitch, Sanders hit a long grand slam to make it 8-0.
"You've got to get a strike _ it's bases loaded," catcher Ramon Hernandez said. "He put wood on it and hit it out."
Added Bochy: "It's not really a time to start picking at the corners. We're down four at that point. You've pretty much got to challenge them, and we lost the challenge."
Padres players weren't aware Peavy was hurt until learning from a reporter after the game.
"That's the first I've heard of it," first baseman Mark Sweeney said. "Hopefully he'll be OK."
Peavy never resembled the pitcher who struck out 216, went 13-7 and had a 2.88 ERA this year.
In 30 regular-season starts, Peavy allowed more than four runs just twice. He allowed five runs in five innings but got the win over Seattle on June 25, and gave up seven runs in five innings in a loss to the New York Mets on July 21.
Tuesday's outing was also Peavy's second-shortest _ he pitched four innings May 31 in the Padres' 8-4 win over Milwaukee.
Peavy finished the season with two strong outings. That was better than Cardinals starter Chris Carpenter, a 21-game winner who struggled down the stretch.
Bochy had played down Peavy's lack of postseason experience, noting his first career start was against the Yankees before a huge crowd and that Peavy pitched in the All-Star game this year.
Walker was impressed, despite Peavy's struggles.
"He's got years and years ahead of him," Walker said. "He's going to be a star in this league. He's got Cy Young written all over him."
A service of the Associated Press(AP)
By JIM SALTER ST. LOUIS - Jake Peavy picked a bad time for his worst start of the season, and an even worse time to get hurt. Peavy figured to be the San Diego Padres' best hope of upsetting the St. Louis Cardinals in the first round of the best-of-five playoffs. He led the NL in strikeouts, ranked among the league leaders in ERA and easily was the ace of a team that finished only 82-80.
None of that helped in his first career postseason game Tuesday. Peavy gave up eight runs, all earned, in 4 1-3 innings as the Cardinals built a big lead in Game 1 and held off San Diego 8-5.
Worse still, Peavy felt a pain near his rib cage in the third inning, and the pain worsened the rest of the way. X-rays at Busch Stadium showed no damage, but he was taken to Barnes-Jewish Hospital for an MRI exam.
"He felt something on his right side. It could be a rib _ we're just going to get him looked at and make sure he's OK," Padres manager Bruce Bochy said.
Padres spokesman Luis Garcia said Peavy is listed as day-to-day, and his availability for the rest of the series is uncertain.
The injury could explain Peavy's struggles in his final three innings.
Jim Edmonds hit a solo home run with one out in the first, and the Cardinals bunched three hits, two intentional walks and a wild pitch to score three more runs in the third.
The end for Peavy came in the fifth, when singles by Edmonds and Albert Pujols and a walk to Larry Walker loaded the bases for Reggie Sanders. Swinging on a 3-0 pitch, Sanders hit a long grand slam to make it 8-0.
"You've got to get a strike _ it's bases loaded," catcher Ramon Hernandez said. "He put wood on it and hit it out."
Added Bochy: "It's not really a time to start picking at the corners. We're down four at that point. You've pretty much got to challenge them, and we lost the challenge."
Padres players weren't aware Peavy was hurt until learning from a reporter after the game.
"That's the first I've heard of it," first baseman Mark Sweeney said. "Hopefully he'll be OK."
Peavy never resembled the pitcher who struck out 216, went 13-7 and had a 2.88 ERA this year.
In 30 regular-season starts, Peavy allowed more than four runs just twice. He allowed five runs in five innings but got the win over Seattle on June 25, and gave up seven runs in five innings in a loss to the New York Mets on July 21.
Tuesday's outing was also Peavy's second-shortest _ he pitched four innings May 31 in the Padres' 8-4 win over Milwaukee.
Peavy finished the season with two strong outings. That was better than Cardinals starter Chris Carpenter, a 21-game winner who struggled down the stretch.
Bochy had played down Peavy's lack of postseason experience, noting his first career start was against the Yankees before a huge crowd and that Peavy pitched in the All-Star game this year.
Walker was impressed, despite Peavy's struggles.
"He's got years and years ahead of him," Walker said. "He's going to be a star in this league. He's got Cy Young written all over him."
A service of the Associated Press(AP)
