What a difference a month can make. With their annual slow April start behind them, the Padres once again found their feet in May, regaining their division-winning form.
May saw the Padres take off on two high-speed tears, winning nine straight games, losing one at home to the Brewers, then once again winning five straight, earning them 14 wins in 15 games from April 30 through May 15. During this time, Friars’ bats came alive, as shortstop Khalil Greene rang up RBIs, utility infielder Mark Bellhorn stepped up with clutch hits and catchers Rob Bowen and Josh Bard announced their arrivals.
Bowen, who was reinstated off the disabled list on May 28 due to a sprained left thumb, has come up big in only 18 appearances, batting .435 with seven RBI. Meanwhile, Bard was hitting .395 as of May 29, which includes a monster game in the third game of the Cardinals series, in which he hit two home runs and a double.
“It’s a nice luxury to have “” three catchers that can hit,” manager Bruce Bochy said. “[Bard] works his tail off – he’s here every day.”
May 29 was also a day of Petco milestones. Often maligned as being especially unfriendly to hitters, the ballpark surrendered its three longest homeruns in its short history that day. Mark Bellhorn broke Sammy Sosa’s record of 434 feet with a 438-foot blast to right center field, followed immediately by another solo bomb by Bard that bounced off the upper deck of the Western Metal building. It was the second back-to-back home run combo by the Padres this year, the first coming on May 3 at Dodger Stadium by Jesse Barfield and Geoff Blum. Finally, a fifth-inning Albert Pujols shot gave him a Major League-leading 24 on the season and an incredible 61 RBI, all before June.
Also notable was Jake Peavy’s master-class performance against Atlanta at Petco on May 22, in which he struck out 16 in seven innings, though his offense provided little help outside of a Mike Piazza solo homer in a 3-1 loss. However, Taking two of three from the National League Central-leading Cardinals, with a 10-8 win in the third game was the kind of reassurance the team “” and Peavy needed, as it was his subsequent start.
“[Winning this Cardinals] series shows we can play with anybody,” Bochy said.
Curiously, the Padres have a certain affinity for day games. The team is 14-5 during the day, winning eight of their last 10 daytime outings and have a noticeably higher batting average than at night. The team and media offer a number of explanations, from seeing the ball better to the ball carrying farther during the day, especially at Petco.
The month of May also served to illustrate how competitive the National League West is shaping up to be. Far from the weak division it was last year, which the Padres won playing just over .500, the West is now the most competitive in baseball, with every team over .500 and always just a couple of games out of first place. Indeed, the Padres shot up to first during their early month tear but have since been overcome by the Rockies and the Diamondbacks after dropping two of three against Arizona and getting swept at Seattle during interleague play.
“Two games can put you in first or last place,” Brian Giles said.
The difference may just lie in these role players who have become so important as of late.
“We’re getting big contributions from guys who aren’t playing every day,” Giles added.
The month of June finds the Padres opening with a seven game road swing through Pittsburgh and Milwaukee, then hosting Florida and Los Angeles. The second half of the month continues with interleague play, in which they’re away to the Angels and Rangers, then host Seattle and Oakland They close out the month with the Giants at home.