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SAN FRANCISCO -- Six days ago, Padres pitching coach Darren Balsley and manager Bud Black had a pointed and honest discussion in the dugout in Houston about whether to send Mat Latos to the mound with him needing three outs for his first shutout.
Balsley and Black agreed that no matter how badly they wanted the 22-year-old to get a shutout, the smarter move was to turn the ball over to the bullpen given how many pitches he had thrown (107) and how much stress the Astros had already put on him.
Latos, they felt, would eventually get another shot at a shutout.
"We knew he'd get the chance," Balsley said. "But we didn't know it would be five days later."
Latos, in his 17th Major League start, got his first shutout and, better still, carried a perfect game into the sixth inning before settling for a one-hitter, as the Padres completed a sweep of the Giants with a 1-0 victory at AT&T Park.
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He's retired 54 of the last 58 guys he's faced or something like that, its incredible
Balsley and Black agreed that no matter how badly they wanted the 22-year-old to get a shutout, the smarter move was to turn the ball over to the bullpen given how many pitches he had thrown (107) and how much stress the Astros had already put on him.
Latos, they felt, would eventually get another shot at a shutout.
"We knew he'd get the chance," Balsley said. "But we didn't know it would be five days later."
Latos, in his 17th Major League start, got his first shutout and, better still, carried a perfect game into the sixth inning before settling for a one-hitter, as the Padres completed a sweep of the Giants with a 1-0 victory at AT&T Park.
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He's retired 54 of the last 58 guys he's faced or something like that, its incredible
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