Padres’ Week in Review: New Sheriff In Town

hugs The Little Ninja after his spectacular catch to send the game into extra innings, where the Padres would win. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports

Twins Recap

The Padres started the week off with a nice off day on Monday after playing great baseball last week at home against the Cardinals and Braves. They went north to Minnesota and Target Field, home of the 2014 All-Star Game, but already only Tyson Ross could relate the experience to his teammates with other All Star Huston Street closing games for the LA Angels of Anaheim.

In this game, the Padres continued their hitting barrage with 12 hits, but were only able to bring home 1 home and left 11 stranded on base. It was rookie Kennys Vargas who came up big for the Twins, hitting his first major league home run and giving the Twins a glimpse of their own future after hitting 17 homers in Double-A this season. Jesse Hahn pitched effectively but didn’t quite get through 6 innings this time around, allowing 4 earned runs and walking 4. He also only struck out 3, a change from his pace most of the season as he has struck out 57 in 59.1 innings this season. Will Venable had two more hits this game and has raised his batting average up to .229 from the low 200s since the start of July himself. Whether or not he can convince the Padres to hang onto him one more season only time and Mr. Preller will tell.

In game 2 of the quick series against the Twins, the Padres nearly lost it in the 9th except for a sensational play by Alexi Amarista with two outs that saved the winning run.

Then

who has been the most reliable offensive player for the Padres all season, came through with a go-ahead homer in the 10th before

came in to close it out in the bottom of the 10th. Starter

was a little shaky once again, as he too failed to get out of the 6th inning, but that Padres bullpen carried it the rest of the way, only allowing 2 hits the next 4 1/3 to finish things out.

also provided two RBI and hits in the victory.