Yet Another Series Win

This homestand has become exactly what the Padres needed.  Few predicted the team would win 2 of 3 from the powerful St Louis Cardinals, but they did.  Some hoped they'd win 2 of 3 from the resurgent Washington Nationals, but they have.  A quick series recap, in case you've been buried in barbeque this weekend:

• Friday, Clayton Richard gives up a 3-run HR to Josh Willingham which the Padres can't quite overcome.  In the ninth, San Diego scores a run and loads the bases with no one out (down by two), but the rally fizzles.
• Saturday, Nationals second baseman Adam Kennedy can't quite pick up a ground ball in the hole off Adrian Gonzalez's bat.  Chase Headley singles, and Nick Hundley homers to give the Padres an early 3-0 lead.  They win 4-2.
• Sunday, the Padres survived two solo homers by budding Nationals star Ryan Zimmerman to take the game in extra innings.  There another Kennedy error (again with two out, no less) let the Padres get the winning run to second, where rookie Lance Zawadzki singled him home.

So the Padres have taken 4 of 6 on the homestand, and remain in first place two ahead of Los Angeles.  Courtesy of a Cincinnati loss Sunday, they've reclaimed the best record in the league at 30-20.

Two other items for your perusal after the jump.

Can't Win Them All

Although it would be nice, you can't win them all.  When Bud Black stated he didn't think the bullpen would need reinforcements following last night's 13-inning game, it meant Wade LeBlanc would be out there for a while regardless of how poorly he pitched.

And he didn't pitch that poorly, all things considered.  Brendan Ryan had a big day off him (3 hits, including a HR in the fourth).  Albert Pujols homered.  The Padres, on the other hand, couldn't muster anything off Cardinal spot starter PJ Walters, and with no run support LeBlanc was doomed.  Adam Russell pitched two innings for the depleted bullpen and gave up 4 runs, taking the doubt out of the issue.  8-3 Cardinals in the finale.

Padres finished the series 2 for 25 with runners in scoring position, and still managed to win 2 of the 3 games.  That's one of the more ridiculous stats you'll see.  No Sacrifice Flies were hit with a runner on third throughout the 3-game series.

I was at this afternoon's game, but it was a seminal moment - I took my oldest to his first baseball game.  Needless to say we didn't watch the whole game, nor did we stay until the end.  But the boy did get a hit at the Park at the Park field, and we did walk around a lot, and he did eat a lot of Skittles.  A good day.  So, the rest of this post will be photos.

View from our seats.  I like the 1978 jerseys.

Jerry Hairston Jr and David Eckstein

Matt Holliday singled, then got thrown out trying to stretch it to a double, to end the fourth.  Here's LaRussa asking second base umpire Mark Wegner if he has pigeon shit in his eye.

Wade LeBlanc pitched as hard as he could, but it wasn't enough.  Here he is exiting the game in the sixth.