San Francisco Giants

Padres seek more offense in Game 2 vs Giants

Published Aug. 29, 2017 12:01 p.m. ET

SAN DIEGO -- San Francisco Giants manager Bruce Bochy is anxious to see if less of Matt Moore is better.

"He's backed off a little," Bochy told MLB.com. "He's not overthrowing."

Moore is throwing for the Giants on Tuesday in the second game of their three-game series with the San Diego Padres. The Giants, who won the opener 3-0 on Monday, hope Moore (4-12, 5.38 ERA) can produce consecutive solid starts as he tries to resurrect a season that went haywire.

"He's using all his pitches," Bochy said. "He's got a good changeup going along with the curveball and the cutter and using the fastball still effectively to both sides."

Against the Milwaukee Brewers on Wednesday, Moore surrendered one run and five hits in six-plus innings. He didn't get a decision, but it was a third consecutive keen outing from the southpaw. He is 1-0 with a 2.21 ERA in those three starts.

After going 1-8 from May 24-Aug. 7, Moore will take it.

"I can't take back some of those losses and putting us in a hole at certain times," Moore said. "It's just important to focus up and try to finish as strong as you can. We can't take any of those numbers off the board that have already happened, but for me, five weeks left, I'm trying to build up something I can sit on for the wintertime and think about heading into spring training."

Moore has faced the Padres once, on July 22. He didn't figure into the decision after allowing four runs in six innings in a game the Giants won 5-4.

His opponent Tuesday, Padres starter Luis Perdomo, will try to pitch at least six innings for an eighth consecutive start.

Perdomo (6-8, 4.84 ERA) was sharp his last time out at St. Louis on Thursday. Over six innings, he was charged with two runs on seven hits and two walks in a no-decision.

"I think recently he has made some positive strides that we are excited about," Padres manager Andy Green said. "His last outing he was really able to command the fastball in a way that we have looked for him to command it for a long period of time.

"When he went away, for the most part, it was away. When he went in, it was in. And that was part of his problem; he was missing by a half of a plate."

Perdomo was no lock to make the team last year as a Rule 5 Draft pick, but he survived some rocky, learning experiences and is rounding into a reliable starter. That is, Green adds, if Perdomo can aim that fastball in the proper direction.

Perdomo also has shown flashes of a wipeout slider, but it is the fastball that he must lean on.

"The fastball command for me," Green said. "With his velocity and movement, he has been really, really good. I was most pleased with that the last time out.

"The most I'm pleased with the last few times out is he's been avoiding the big inning. If he continues to do that, he will be successful, so we are excited about that."

In seven career games against the Giants, Perdomo is 1-0 with a 3.94 ERA. He is 0-0 with a 3.63 ERA in three starts vs. San Francisco this year.