Faris near-flawless for Missions

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Faris near-flawless for Missions
04/20/2009 10:11 PM ET
By John Torenli / Special to MLB.com

After a solid showing in the Texas League last season, Stephen Faris appeared poised to take his game to another level.
But he had to work on something first.
"[Padres vice president of scouting and player development] Grady Fuson talked to me about working on my changeup in the offseason," Faris said.
"He wanted me to prove that I could throw three pitches for strikes every time I went out there, and that I would need that to get to the next level."
Apparently, the 24-year-old right-hander took the message to heart.
Faris showed off his three-pitch arsenal Monday night at Drillers Stadium, striking out five and walking one over six hitless innings in San Antonio's 5-1 victory over Tulsa. The Missions took a no-hit bid into the eighth inning.
"I feel really confident that I can throw all three of my pitches in any count and get it over the plate," Faris said. "I don't throw the ball more than 88-91 mph, so I have to command my pitches and let the defense play behind me.
"I really worked on the changeup after leaving it in my back pocket last year. They got on me about that. This year I'm using it more. It's showing me that getting those quick outs gives you the ability to be good later in the game."
Faris (2-1) has allowed three earned runs on 11 hits over 17 innings in three outings this season, but his performance Monday was his best since he tossed a one-hitter for Class A Fort Wayne against Clinton on July 17, 2007.
"I would say this was right up there [with the one-hitter]," Faris said. "Obviously, it being at Double-A, there is a great difference in the hitters."
The former 12th-round pick out of Clemson University was hot from the start, striking out the side in the first inning en route to retiring the first seven batters he faced. Daniel Mayora reached on shortstop Jesus Lopez's fielding error with one out in the third and moved to second on a sacrifice by Tulsa starter Jhoulys Chacin.
But Faris got Anthony Jackson to ground out, escaping the inning and starting a streak of six straight hitters retired before he walked Mike Paulk with two out in the fifth. Mayora popped out to end the fifth, and Faris worked his way out of the sixth after Rex Rundgren reached to open the frame on second baseman Eric Sogard's throwing error.
After throwing 49 of his 79 pitches for strikes, Faris left the hill with a 1.59 ERA for the season. Brandon Gomes followed with a hitless seventh, but Major League veteran Chris Britton was unable to finish off the no-hit bid.
Paulk began the eighth with a single to center field and Cole Garner and Jackson followed with base hits later in the frame to put the Drillers on the board.
Britton walked pinch-hitter Anthony Contreras before getting Chris Nelson on a popup to second. Jeff Kindel singled with one out in the ninth, but Britton got Daniel Carte to ground into a game-ending double play, wrapping up Faris' second win in three starts.
Faris went 8-5 with a 3.85 ERA in 26 starts at San Antonio last year -- the best of his three seasons as a professional. He began his career at Class A Short-Season Eugene in 2006, going 2-1 with a 4.65 ERA in 11 outings, including seven starts, and also pitched at three levels in '07, spending most of his time with Fort Wayne, where he finished 7-7 with a 4.37 ERA in 21 appearances.
However, Faris also got his first taste of Triple-A action that year, yielding a run on three hits over four innings on Aug. 29, 2007, against Tucson after winning two starts at Class A Advanced Lake Elsinore earlier in the month.
"That was a good experience," Faris noted. "It gave me a lot of confidence. It helped me at Double-A the next year. Each level you move up, you have that feeling that you wonder whether you're good enough for this level or not."
With a full season of Double-A behind him, Faris is hoping his impressive start to his second campaign with the Missions results in a move up the Padres' organizational chain.
"I think I'm ready to pitch on that level," he said.
This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.