In this column, I will analyze that player’s statistics against the Friars and try to offer some insight into how not to let that player beat our beloved team.

The Padres had an off-day Monday, which should have helped them recover from Sunday’s 6-0 shutout loss against their divisional foe Arizona Diamondbacks.

Now, the Padres will try to avoid being shutout for the second time in as many days. But a Freak stands in their way.

Tim Lincecum pitches at Miami Marlins Stadium Steve Mitchell-US PRESSWIRE

Two-time Cy Young Award winner Tim Lincecum will take the hill tonight for the San Francisco Giants. The Giants ace has been anything but Lincecum-like this season as he is 2-6 with a 5.82 earned run average.

But down year or not, Lincecum always lives up to his Freak nickname when it comes to playing the team with the SD logo.

For the Padres there is no such thing as home-field advantage when the 28-year-old right-hander pitches at Petco Park, where he is 5-2 with a 1.77 ERA and a freakish 12 strikeouts per 9 innings.

Lincecum’s career- 1.84 ERA against the Friars is the second-lowest ERA versus the Padres of all active starting pitchers.

The best way to attack The Freak is by working the count to tire him out by letting his pitch count rise. There is no way to straight-out beat Lincecum, but there is a way to beat the Giants, and that’s to get to their Major League-worst bullpen.

With two outs in the inning, Orlando Hudson had to range deep into the hole hit by Nate Schierholtz.  His throw to Yonder Alonso looked like it got the runner, but first base umpire Chris Conroy said Alonso pulled his foot of the bag.  The out would have ended the inning.  Instead, the next batter, Brandon Belt, his a two run double to give the Giants the lead.

Bass’ final line was eight innings, six hits, two runs, no walks, and eight strikeouts.  Bass’ complete game loss was the first complete game pitched by any Padres pitcher this year. It was a fantastic performance and deserving of a win.  However, Tim Lincecum was every bit as good as Bass in the game and held the Padres to just one run.  Lincecum tossed eight innings, gave up just three hits, one run, four walks, and struck out five.

The Padres lone run came on a sacrifice fly by Nick Hundley in the third inning.  While the offense couldn’t deliver, there were some positives to take away from the game.  Bass, after walking five in his last outing, reduced his walks to zero over more innings pitched.  Bass is rounding into shape as one of the Padres best pitchers this year.  His consistency is what many of the other starters have lacked (save for Cory Luebke).

The defense, however, still struggled.  The Padres committed two more error in the game.  Their total now stands at 26 – the most in the Majors.

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